Life, 1913-10-09 · page 33 of 44
Life — October 9, 1913 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a poem issued by the **New York Women's League for Animals**, presenting a horse's plea for humane treatment. The poem is a sentimental appeal framed as direct address: the horse catalogs its loyalty and labor ("I've worked for you...done the best"), then argues this faithfulness obligates its master to provide basic care—food, shelter, and protection from neglect. The satire works through role-reversal and implied criticism of human masters who exploit animals despite their dependence. The horse's reasonable requests (decent conditions, not cruelty) are presented as modest and earned through service, making any refusal seem callous. This reflects early 20th-century animal welfare activism, when such organizations lobbied for protections against abuse and neglect. The poem's emotional tone—humble yet reproachful—was typical advocacy rhetoric of the era, appealing to owners' sense of obligation toward creatures they controlled.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Horse to his Master Issued by “The New York Women’s League for Animals.” Iam a Horse; You are a Man; I've been your slave Since I began, And though I'm strong Enough to shake My shackles off And make a break For freedom that Would lift the lid, You've noticed That I never did. By day and night I've worked for you And done the best That I could do; And though I may not Always like Your methods, yet I never strike; In heat and cold, In wet and dry, I'm always ready— Glad to try To do the very Most I can To satisfy My master, man. Therefore, my master, If you please, Considering Such facts as these, Say, don’t you think It ought to be Your pleasure To look out for me, If for no other Reason than My greater usefulness Don’t Wait Until This Has Happened Don't hesitate about safeguarding your gasolene supply until you are given long leisure to think about ins hoop werd. Make Your Gasolene Supply (either for Motor Boat or Motor Car) Accident Proof NOW with a “JASCO TANK” the one tank that positively cannot leak. Constructed seamless and leakless of drawn steel, thoroughly tinned, - both inside and out, and carefully tested under hy- draulic pressure. “Jasco” Tanks insure the safety of your boat or automobile, guard you against possible mortal injury and stop the constant drain on your purse that a leaky tank creates. JANNEY, STEINMETZ & CO. MAIN OFFICE NEW YORK OFFICE PHILADELPHIA HUDSON TERMINAL BLDG. The Twofold Pleasure of the ANGELUS The Pioneer PLAYER-PIANO For more than fifteen years the Angelus has been the pioneer in the development of the player as a means to enable anyone to play the piano artistically. Now is added another enjoyment—the listening to the playing of the world’s most eminent pianists—by means of our newest invention, Voltem Music Rolls which are actual personal records played specially for repetition with the Angelus. With the Angelus and Voltem Rolls Tina Lerner Gottfried Galston Rider-Possart Ethel Leginska and others are ever present in your home to entertain you with theit mas- terful interpretations of the great com- posers. Thus the Angelus becomes a twofold source of pleasure—an in- strument that anyone can play with Personal expression, or by which he or she can reproduce the playing of artists. The Melodant, Phrasing Lever and Diaphragm Pneumatics (exclusive features of the Angelus) make possible these marvel- ous results, Kaabe- Angel Emerson-Angelas Grands and Uprights Grands and Uprights Lindeman & Sons—Angeles Upright. Angelas-Piane—An Upright built express- ly for the Angelus. —The Goarlay-Angelas and An- telus Piano, Any of these instruments can be played bby hand in the usual manner. The: WILCOX & WHITE CO. MERIDEN, CONN. Business Established U7 233 REGENT ST., LONDON Agencies all over the wortd. To man? You should Of course, you might be worse, I know You sometimes treat your own kind so, But I'm a Horse And truer than The man-slave to his master, man And, furthermore, My nature is Much more dependent Than is his. And as I trust you, Sir, Do all you can to make it good. Nor do I ask a lot, I guess, To be a fairly fair success— Good food, good shelter, and good care, I think, is just about my share. No other pay I ask— No touch I make, but this! Is that too much? —W. J. Lampton, in the ew York Times. comicbooks.com