Life, 1913-03-06 · page 51 of 72
Life — March 6, 1913 — page 51: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This dialogue-based sketch satirizes both Civil War soldiers and contemporary racial attitudes. An elderly Black cook from the Ninth Illinois Regiment (a real Union unit at Fort Donelson) admits to running during combat, then philosophizes that life matters more than reputation or patriotic duty. The satire cuts two ways: it mocks the soldier's cowardice and self-preservation instinct, but more pointedly ridicules white officers' expectations that Black soldiers should die for country and honor—concepts the sketch implies are meaningless luxuries. The soldier's final point—"dat was de pint wid me"—suggests Black men have no stake in defending a nation that enslaves them. The dialect and caricature are period-typical offensive stereotyping, yet the underlying argument about rational self-interest versus patriotic sacrifice carries genuine social critique about Black participation in a war ostensibly fought for their freedom.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
De Pint Wid Old Pete Upon the hurricane deck of one of our gunboats, an elderly darky, with a very philosophical and retrospective cast of countenance, squatted on his bundle, toasting his shins against the chimney, and apparently plunged into a state of profound meditation. Finding, upon in- quiry, that he belonged to the Ninth Il- linois, one of the most gallantly behaved and heavy losing regiments at the Fort Donelson battle, I began to interrogate him upon the subject. “Were you in the fight?” “Had a little taste of it, sa “Stood your ground, did you?” Yo, sa; I runs.” “Run at the first fire, did you?” ; and would had run soona had I know’d it war comin’.” “Why, that wasn't very creditable to your courag: “ Massa, dat isn’t my line, sa; cookin’s my profession “Well, but have your reputation?” “Yah, yah; reputation’s nuffin to me by de side ob life. “Do you consi more than other “Tt is worth more to me “Then you must value it very high- ly?" “Yes, sa, I docs; more dan all dis world, more dan a million ob dollars, sa; you no regard for "THE Borland Eleétric Limousine —The Motor Car of the Future. Com- bining the silence, cleanliness, ease of control and known dependability of the rightly built electric car, with the higher efficiency heretofore associated only with the better quality of gasoline machines. Price Fifty-five hundred dollars. ler your life worth cople’s? sa. for what would dat be wuth to a man mn 5 E wid de bref out ob him? Self-preserva. | MPARTIAL ‘critics have pro- O keep abreast of motoring ill lan sea de’ tat Ie’ ia Hae” claimed this the most graceful progress, view this impressive WuBut-why should/you, ace upot, a dit: and ditinguished exhibit of all new produé& at your nearest fetentsguledéomoiliee sued the season — irrespective of motive power. dealer. Or write to us dire@ concerning “Because different men set different values upon their lives; mine is not in 0) fe} —= de market.” () “But if you lost it, you would have . the satisfaction of knowing that you died “i ” for your country.” The Cars of Tomorrow “What satisfaction would dat be to . . ads Consider briefly also two more of seven new Borland models — each in its way as distinctively ‘different’ as is the master car we describe above. The Borland Poster Book, a truly artific publication, telling our story simply and diced, “will reach “you promptly ‘upon reque 1 of r ree these whe one oe Borland Ele@ric Coupe about bheving the, be Borland Ele@ric Roadster ‘orwaed or rear drive sbout meking it. Speed 35 miles an hour THE BORLAND-GRANNIS COMPANY MANUFACTURERS Executive Offices end Salesroome 2634 Michigan Avenue CHICAGO THE THIRD EARL OF CRAVEN Inventor of the Finest Smoking Tobacco in the World Craven Mixture| — me when de power ob feelin’ was gone?” be not, sa; a dead white man What eee dia” “Then patriotism and honor are noth- ain't much to dese sogers, let alone a e readia in ing to you?” dead nii but I'd ed lf, and “ seabrrad as 1 to you? jead nigga; but I'd a missed myself, an My Lady Nicotine” is the Craven “ Nuffin’ whatever, sa; I regard them dat was de pint wid me.” ) Mixture and no other. J. M. BARRIE as among the vanities.” i i “If our soldiers were like you, traitors is famous mixture has the j i fF might have broken up the government Jack: Once more, Molly, will you largest sale of any high class . fs * y me? smoking tobacco in the world. wiihest teiniore: ee ; Ul Hour Sssiad canesX sacsle Coe a0 cece. sd W conte Yes, sa; dar would had been no Motty: For the twelfth time this Pached two fof, 12 OF. OF 69 cents for a doz, tin. help for it.” hour I tell you I will not Be ren cese Curuties tort for Baron Pipe Vater. “Do you think any of your company Jack (of the Navy): Well, twelve ea‘ NTS OF CARRERAS, Ltd. would have missed you, if you had been knots an hour is not bad speed for a 119 West 23d Street York City killed?” little craft like you.—Tit-Bits. comicbooks.com