Life, 1909-12-09 · page 23 of 32
Life — December 9, 1909 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and literary content**, not political satire. The main feature is a **rhymed book review** of "Bella Donna" by Robert Hichens, a novel set on the Nile River. The reviewer, Arthur Guiterman, summarizes the melodramatic plot in verse: a bored English wife (Bella Donna) travels to Egypt, meets a wealthy Greek-Egyptian man named Baroudi, poisons her husband's coffee, but is thwarted by a clever doctor (Dr. Isaacson). She flees into the desert, and the reviewer wickedly hopes a lion kills her. The satire here targets the **popular romantic novel itself**—its exotic colonial setting, morally compromised characters, and overwrought drama. Guiterman's cynical ending mocks the book's sensationalism. The page also contains period **product advertisements**: Hoskins business cards, Victrola records (featuring an operatic singer), and Winslow skating equipment. These reflect early 20th-century consumer marketing. There is no political commentary visible on this page.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
: HOSKINS Pua 8 CHESTRUT The Literary Zoo Rhymed Reviews “Bella Donna” (By Robert Hichens. J. B. Lippincott Company.) HE Nile: Adorn our painted scene With dahabeeyahs, —sphinxes, scarabs And choruses of fellaheen, Saadeyehs, donkey-boys and Arabs. Here Nigel Armine brought his wife, a Bella Donna ”—not to trim it— A lady with a checkered life, Prepared, in fact, to go the limit. Idyllic love, divine but tame, Had left her peevish, bored and moody, When up the Nile Diversion came— A Greek-Egyptian called Baroudi— A millionaire with noble head, Soft voice and eyes of burning glances, The sort of scamp expressly bred For recent — white-and-tan —_ro- mances— Who made her woo him. Sad to state, His love was purely Orien Which means about the woman's fate He didn’t care a continental They met on shadowed desert scaurs, Baroudi's tent the couple screening. (Observe I quote these little stars; Let Mr. Hichens clear their mean- ing.) He dropped a hint; she snatched it up. With powdered lead in rank solution She dosed her husband's coffee-cup And would have wrecked his consti- tution CHIS MASTER'S YORE -_ Victor records are on sale at all dealers on the 28th of each month. Easiest to adjust_Smoothest running and the fastest and ye finest akates that skill =nd sclence can produce Please send for our now illustrated catalogs re free. Kindly state whether you are interested in lee or Rotter Skates NSLOW SKATE MFG. CO. rani tadamer Strasse 4, W. 9, Berlin. ALL STYLES ALL PRICES ALL DEALERS Winslow's skates stay sharp longest. 363 But ere the al work was done Appeared that heaven-sent physician, The famous Doctor Isaacson, A Sherlock Holmes for intuition, To spoil the game. With little ruth He rent her sweet, angelic cover; So Bella Donna owned the truth And fled by night to join her lover. He cast her off. In blinded haste, Before the birds began to twitte She staggered far across the waste— I hope to God a lion bit her! Arthur Guiterman, comicbooks.com