Life, 1911-03-09 · page 19 of 44
Life — March 9, 1911 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Illustration:** A chauffeur (identified as "an ex-trolley-car conductor") crashes a car into a tree while passengers fly through the air. The caption reads "ALL OUT! CAR AHEAD"—a pun on trolley conductor language, satirizing the transition from public transit workers to automobile chauffeurs and the chaos that ensues. **"The Insurgent" Story:** A man disrupts a bridge game, declaring it a waste of time pursued by unintelligent, greedy people. His wife tries to suppress him, claiming he's delusional and ill. He leaves to play poker instead—revealing the satire: his "honest" rebellion against frivolous bridge is merely exchanged for gambling, contradicting his moral stance. The story mocks self-righteous insurgents who claim principle while practicing hypocrisy. **Bottom Cartoon:** A census taker counts the "floating population"—a pun suggesting homeless or transient people, likely reflecting Progressive Era concerns about labor mobility and urban poverty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Chauffeur (an ex-trolley-car conductor) : The Insurgent “YY7HAT! You make it spades on the original lead, and with a hand like that!” The room was crowded with bridge tables. Up to the moment that the lady spoke there had been that intense still- ness which hangs over people intent upon gain, The young man thus ad- dressed in such contemptuous terms by his partner looked at her quietly. Then he rose. “Yes,” he replied, “I made it spades because I didn’t know what else to do. But as long as you have mentioned the matter, I may as well tell you that I don't know a thing about this game, and, what is more, I don’t care. I was asked here to-night to fill in, and because it was assumed that if I didn't know I would probably lose my money. I am aware that by thus stopping in the mid- dle of a game I am breaking it up and am guilty of rudeness, But T don't care a hang. I am glad of it. I consider the game of bridge a pure waste of time and the people who spend their time in playing it not worthy of any considera- tion whatever.” At this point he was suddenly inter- rupted by his wife, a young and beau- ALL out! tiful woman, who had been sitting at the next table and who threw her arms about him in a passion of sobs. “Henri!” she exclaimed, “stop! I beg of you. He doesn’t mean it,” she went on to the others—who had all stopped playing. “He is not well. It is only a passing delusion, He is tired. He has been working so hard. Say that you do not mean it!” she whispered, looking up at him anxiously. In reply her husband looked sternly around him. “Tam resolved,” he said, “that for once in my life I will tell the truth and be honest with myself. Bridge playing, in my opinion, is a senseless occupation, It is pursued by those people who are not intelligent enough to find legitimate things to occupy their minds and who, possessed with a repulsive greed, enjoy themselves by entertaining the hope that they may be able to win money from those whom they are pleased to call their friends. It adds nothing, leads to nothi g and serves only as an object les- son to show what senseless things hu- man beings will do to avoid thinking. With these few remarks I will leave you to your own devices.” “Henri!” muttered the young wife, still clinging to him, “ this is terrible. I CAR AMLEAD. am afraid for you. Where are you go- ing?” And he smiled back bravely, while the others, too intent to be further inter- rupted by one whom they already con- sidered a madman, resumed their seats. “ Have no fear, darling,” he said. “I am going down to the club to play poker with the boys—where I have a chance for my money.” ev “ARE YOU THE CENSUS MAN, SIR?" “YES, SONNY; I’M NOW GETTING THE FLOATING POPULATION." comicbooks.com