Life, 1910-02-03 · page 35 of 44
Life — February 3, 1910 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features an "Impudent Interview" with **Rudyard Kipling**, the famous British author. The satirical poem humorously chronicles Kipling's life and literary career in his own boastful voice—from his schooling in Devon, to his newspaper work in India, to his famous literary creations (Gunga Din, Mowgli from *The Jungle Book*). The satire mocks Kipling's **self-importance and prolific output**. He claims knowledge of everything from "Cabbages and Kings" to the "Secrets of the Universe," and presents himself as superior to all around him—even ranking animal characters above high society. The poem's title ("Impudent") and tone capture the presumed arrogance of this celebrated author speaking candidly about his own genius. The page also contains period advertisements (Diamond Tires, Princess Hotel, Burpee Seeds) typical of early 20th-century magazine layout. The cartoon at bottom-right appears unrelated to the main content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Impudent Interviews Rudyard Kipling Well, take a chair; cock your feet upon the mantlepicce (Seeing that’s your custom in the “Country of the Free"); Though “I've always been averse tting n My achievements to rehearse, ew York Yet to case an Anxious Public I will f Fit Areal tell the tale of ME Tiained in a school in the dowie dens of Devonshire, Joined with wild companions full of dark iniquity I concocted boyish crimes And composed satiric rhymes Till my college-mates and pedagogues were all afraid of ME. Up came a ship and they bundled me to India, There to run a paper like a printer on a spree; And I wrote of many things, Yea, of Cabbages and Kings, For the Secrets of the Universe are openwork to ME. of the sheville, Sang I the wiles of the black or yellow Aryan, Brahman or Mohammedan of high or low degre Khoda Baksh and Daoud Shah, Gunga Din and Dana Da,— Their polka-dotted consciences were primers unto ME. Sang I the ways of the furry-coated Juhgle Folk; Evenso, the ways of the Best So- ciety; But, speaking man to man, Young Mowgli and his clan In all the prime essentials seemed the better crowd to ME. Sang I the feats of the heavy-footed llerses PRINCESS HOTEL, BERMUDA Infantry and horse, but especially of THE IDEAL wines RESO! Three? Only two days from New York by fast Nicartous steam hree; saillog twiee a week. Outdoor life all winter, Beautiful drive saddle riding, tennis, golf, yachting, sea bathing. (Continued on page 220) The well known PRINCESS HOTEL 207 open. Accommodates 400. HOWE & TWOROGER, Mogrs., Hamilton, Bermuda You will be satisfied with the products of Burpee’s “Seeds that Grow”| |» cs: mn mnne . CHEW YoUR FOOD; bolt EVERYTHING whole, oR YOU Shall_we mail you our New Complete Catalog WILL NEVER GET WELL. W. ATLEE BURPEE & CO., Burpee Building, Philadelphia. comicbooks.com