Life, 1910-04-14 · page 33 of 44
Life — April 14, 1910 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes **Theodore Roosevelt's African hunting expedition** (documented in his book *African Game Trails*). The "Rhymed Review" is a mock-heroic poem mocking Roosevelt's 1909-1910 safari. The satire targets Roosevelt's self-aggrandizing account: he's portrayed as a trigger-happy hunter who effortlessly kills lions, antelopes, cranes, warthogs, and hippopotamuses while riding a horse named "Tranquility." The joke compares the hippo's weight to President **William Howard Taft** (his successor, whom Roosevelt had grown to dislike), suggesting Roosevelt was boastfully shooting everything in sight. The poem ridicules both Roosevelt's adventurism and his self-mythologizing narrative style—presenting his African hunt as an impossible feat of masculine prowess. The references to his "Rabbit's Foot" talisman and hunting with his son Kermit add personal, domestic humor to undercut the grand adventure narrative. The page also contains period advertising for women's tailored clothing and men's summer underwear, typical of Life magazine's mixed editorial-commercial format.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
At 57 West 28th St.. New York, Fe Tallored Gi Rhymed Reviews African Game Trails (By Theodore Rocsevelt. Scribner's Magazine) “A Railroad Pleisto- Through the cene" (A Scientist's extravaganza) the seville. Conveyed us half the route between ‘The Eastern coast and Lake Nyanza. Thence far and wide out roadways ran, But Fear and I were ever strangers; My Rabbit's Foot, a talisman From Big John L., defied all dangers. Received with great civility, Well-armed, with tent and shooting- permit, Upon my horse “ Tranquillity ” I rode a Faunal Quest with Kermit. And first I trained my Gatling gun Upon a wise Predaceous Lion, Who did not vainly try to run, But dusted off a place to die on. Motor Apparel Shop Everything that comfort demands for the Motorist. Even an inexpensive Duster identified by our label demon- strates the difference between a garment designed specifically for the Motorist and one that shows merely ambition in that direc- tion, Send for Catalogue L. Fox, Stiefel & Co. STRATES. — Summer Underwear Keep cool all day in "Porosknit." Let air reach your body and evaporate the hot perspiration. When you buy underwear it "Poroaknit" fes without a wrinkle, because properly propor- eras tb ole any oy Te ae Muse is mi ot extra x» "Porosknit® is sathfying —- however you Took a! i. FOR MEN ... Avy se =FOR BOYS Shirts and Drawers 50c. per garment 25c, Union Suits, $1.60 for Mea; SOc. for Boys. Buy from dealers. Write us for instructive booklet. KNITTING COMPANY, 52 Washington St., Amsterdam, N.Y. “ Tranquillity” began to lope— His change of gait disturbed my shooting, But still I dropped an Antelope, A Crane in flight, a Wart-hog, root- ing. Upon a lake we launched a raft A Hippopotamus to finish; a“ He weighed a trifle more than Taft, Whose diminish. shade, I hope, will ne'er At noon upon a rocky fell We built a hunter's cheery fire, And cooked and ate a fond Gazelle, Because his horns were like a lyre. (Continued on page 694) comicbooks.com