Life, 1910-08-18 · page 7 of 36
Life — August 18, 1910 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a story titled "Declined With Thanks" alongside a photograph captioned "IN THE NICK OF TIME" showing what appears to be a dramatic rescue scene. The narrative is a dialogue between a ship's captain and a marooned sailor, discussing world events during the sailor's 25-year isolation. The captain updates him on technological advances (wireless telegraphy, aeroplanes, phonographs) and political changes—mentioning President Harrison, Cleveland, McKinley, Roosevelt, Governor Hughes of New York, and international conflicts (Russia, Japan, England, the Boers, Spain, Philippines). The satire's point: the isolated man humorously decides to stay marooned rather than rejoin a world of constant turmoil, technological disruption, and political upheaval. It's commentary on early 1900s anxieties about rapid change and global instability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
But come along. The weather looks lived here for twenty-five years, and I've threatening. You must get aboard."" gotten used to this humdrum life. It The marooned man shook his head suits me now fairly well. I might stand . 5 “j'm not going back with you,"’ he all the changes you have told me of, if I Declined With Thanks said. could have ‘em as gradually as you have; S the captain of the relief ship “Not going back? Why not? "* but to take ‘em all at once—in one dose A stepped ashore on the desert isle, “Well, captain, it’s this way: I've —why, it would kill me!" he man who had been marooned there jor a quarter of a century came forward, tremb- ling with emotion, Although his voice seemed sirange he could still speak the language. “Has anything happened since I have been away from home?" he asked discord- “Well, just a few things. “ Harrison still President? ’* “Oh, my, no! Cleveland and McKinley and Roosevelt and Taft.” “Um. Strange to me. Never heard of the last two. Tariff still on? ’” ame old tariff—only a little more of it Any new jinks in the discovery line?’ “Phonograph—reproduces any sound you like. Wireless telegraphy—communicates through air, Secdless apples. Acroplanes—fly like birds.’ “You don’t say! Anything doing in poli- ties? "* overnor Hughes, of New York, has put a stop to betting on horse races, but Wall Street 1 going.” Same old strect, ch? Any new styles?" “You'd think so if you could see the women “Dy the way, how are all the girl: Trying to get the vote."* “You don’t tell me! Well, well. How are prices?” About double what they were. Beefsteak thirty-eight cents a pound.” I used to be somewhat of a reader,” the marooned man said. “Is there anything new in philosoph “Dear me, yes! It has been put on an en- y new basis by Professor James. Prag- ism now rules."” "And the drama?" Has been regenerated by a syndicate.”’ : old legs? ”* \bout the same.’? “Any new words? ’* Several— uplift,’ ‘strenuous,’ ‘ muckraker,” nd a number of others. Any wars?"’ SOD ale tT, GPO LAE EOS \ few. Russia and Japan, and, oh, yes— Jand and the Boers. Then we own the Philippines now—got ‘em away from Spain. IN THE NICK OF TIME comicbooks.com