Life — December 22, 1910 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“LIFE: For the Especial Reading of Mr. Robert H. Cahoon, of Pleasant Lake, Mass. IFE does not usually print anything intended for the special attention of only one reader. We beg the pardon of every one, except Mr. Robert H. Cahoon, for the present exception to our rule. On October 28 we received October 27, 1910. It read as follow: Eprror. Dear Sir:— If my MSS. is not acceptable at your regular rates, attached to this letter you will find postage for its return Hoping you will find it available, Tam, Yours truly, Enel Rovext H. Canoox. communication, dated Accompanying this letter was a manuscript poem en- titled “ Skeptics.” Immediately beneath the title was the inscription, “ By Robert H. Cahoon.” Alongside the title (in parenthesis) was typewritten “60 Lines; 500 Worps.” This information was doubtless intended as a convenience for Lire and a safeguard for Mr. Cahoon, so that when a check was made out to his order in payment for the verse there should be no omission to pay him at “ regular rates” for every line and word of the composition On page 807 of Harper's Magazine for October. 1910, which went on sale about September 25, there is a poem entitled “ Skeptics,” which bears the name of Mr. Burges Johnson as author. Mr. Johnson is well known in the literary world, and so far as we have been able to ascer- tain, has never used the name Cahoon as a pseudonym or in any other way. The first three stanzas, some thirty lines out of a total of fifty (not sixty, as Mr. Cahoon figures the MS. he sent), are practically an exact copy of the verses in Har- per's by Mr. Johnson. The two stanzas added are infe- rior and evidently written by another hand. No word of credit is given to Mr. Johnson nor to Harper's. On the contrary. it was evidently Mr. Cahoon’s intention to convey the idea that he had written the whole “Geel HE MUST ER HAD A DANDY CHRISTMAS DINNER.” “(ON THE SANTA CLAUS TRAIL.” poem, and to be paid for it by Lire at its “regular rates.” There is no need to characterize further this attempt to secure money under false pretences. At Lire office there are a two-cent stamp and a manu- script bearing the name of Robert H. Cahoon. If Mr. Robert H. Cahoon. of Pleasant Lake, Mass, thinks they are his property. we shall be glad to discuss the claim with him, if he will call at this office in person. Hideous + a | only a quarter of the cases reported to parents,” com- plains a medical inspector in the public schools, “are operations performed ! Showing how crassly insensible some of us still are of the opportunities brought to light by the torch of Science. Is it not disconcerting when parents—parents, of all persons can he authentically apprised that ihcir children arc qualified to come under the surgeon's knife, yet neglect to jump at the chance to range themselves and theirs definitely in line with the most advanced thought? Operations in only a beggarly quarter of the cases amounts to a much more hideous stigma on our civilization than the thoughtful, at least, will enjoy contemplating Altruistic HAVE been spending the week training a waitress."? “What for?" “For the family she is now working for."*