Life, 1910-06-23 · page 17 of 40
Life — June 23, 1910 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical poem parodies Tennyson's "The Charge of the Light Brigade," substituting military cavalry with debt collectors ("duns"). The joke targets an impecunious author who received a $600 check but quickly faced bills and creditors pursuing payment. The satire operates on multiple levels: the author's six-hundred-dollar windfall is immediately consumed by outstanding debts and aggressive creditors ("sharks," "importunate Jews"). The mock-heroic language transforms mundane financial struggle into epic battle, with creditors as relentless adversaries overwhelming the hapless writer. The reference to "importunate Jews" reflects unfortunately common anti-Semitic stereotypes of the era regarding moneylenders and debt collection. The poem's humor relies on readers recognizing both literary parody and the universal middle-class anxiety of living paycheck-to-paycheck, where sudden income provides only temporary relief before obligations resurface.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HIGH TIED The Charge of the “ Dun” Brigade (Written. by an impecunious author three days after the receipt of a check for six hundred dollars.) HH’ a week, half a week, Half a week onward, All in the Valley of Debt Sank the Six Hundred ! “Forward the Dun Brigade! Charge for the dough!" they said. Into the Valley of Debt Sank the Six Hundred. Forward the Dun Brigade! Was there a “ shark" dismayed? Not on your life, you bet! Ghoulish they plundered. Theirs not to itemize, Theirs but to pauperize With bills of monstrous size! Into the Valley of Debt Sank the Six Hundred ! Statements to right of me, Accounts to left of me, * Please remit,’ front of me; Cash-account sundered ! Stormed at by bill and dun, Lord! how the shekels run! Into the jaws of Debt, Into the mouth of Hell, Plunge my Six Hundred! Flashed my old check-book there; Flashed fountain-pen in air, Dashing off checks to square Foes who've long thundered. TEP iE Deluged with I. O. U.'s, Clawed by importunate Jews, Plunged in a fit of blues, Shattered and sundered Look ye that check-book! Not now Six Hundred! Not, Where did the coin fade? Oh, the rank “ charges "’ made! All the world wondered. Weep for the cash out-played, Weep for the havoc made Of my Six Hundred! K Fader, what's “ superflous "'? I . Farner: Wearing a necktie ven you've got a beard, Ikey. Oberon (taking Titania) : ve as THOU WERT WONT TO BE. WONT TO SEE. Titania: MY omeRON—WHaT Visions ENAMOURED OF HIM! 1145 Literary Proverbs LL that glitters is not Gilbert Ches- terton. People who read Elinor Glyn shouldn't throw stones. Richard Le Galliennes will happen in the best regulated publishing houses. When Theodosia Garrison is bliss ‘tis folly to be Elizabeth Browning Clinton Scollard and the world Clinton Scollards with you; Milton and you Mil- ton alone. I could not love Frank Danby so much loved I not George Moore more Anthony Hope springs cternal in the public library wi Coteg MAVE I SEEN. METHOUGHT 1 WAS comicbooks.com