Life, 1910-07-07 · page 11 of 48
Life — July 7, 1910 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece critiques high-society gambling and its moral consequences. The header illustration shows figures dancing around the word "LIFE," suggesting frivolous entertainment. The poem describes poker game participants with unflattering stereotypes—"the Dealer," "the Man Next to Him," "the Opener," "the Bluffer"—each representing recognizable social types engaged in card games. The illustration below shows a well-dressed man (likely a wealthy gambler) sitting while others around him appear distressed or involved in the aftermath of gambling losses. The caption reads "ANOTHER SETBACK TO THE CAUSE OF TEMPERANCE," indicating this satirizes not just gambling but the broader moral corruption of upper-class leisure. The piece mocks how respectable society members engaged in vice while publicly supporting temperance movements—highlighting perceived hypocrisy of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Game LL the world’s a game, And all the men and women merely players. They have their shufiles and their cuts And each man in his time fills many seats— His play being seven jackpots. At first the Dealer, Waiting and watching for a chance to raise: Then the Man Next to Him, with his growling Because the fates have set him right beneath the gun And made him hold the age. And then the Opener, Pushing his stack in on a pair of aces With which he holds a side-card. Then the Bluffer, Full of strange wiles, with cye-shade on his brow And eyes like glass ones, standing pat on deuces, eungnaegnl Y tha Shoving his chips into the centre Till no one dares to call. And then the Sleeper Who never knows whose deal it is at all And often won't discard before the draw, Who must be told to get his ante in— And so he plays his part The sixth age shifts Into the lean and hungry Shoestring Sport Who tries to pike a white chip to a stack And stays in every big pot for a sight, ‘Then draws three cards and makes a royal flush And talks about his wondrous poker-sense And at the kitty swears Last stage of all That ends this strange eventful history Is Hasbeen—when he may but look upon the game, Sans chips, sans cash, sons wateh—sans everything! ANOTHER SETMACK TO THE CAUSE OF TEMPERANCE >#RONn PAOQWO comicbooks.com