Life, 1916-02-03 · page 11 of 48
Life — February 3, 1916 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page contains three distinct pieces: 1. **"Ennui"** - A poem by D.E.P. Harding contrasting youthful romance with adult materialism and worry. 2. **"Ring Around A-Rosy"** - A satirical dialogue in German-inflected English mocking World War I politics, specifically criticizing American intervention and European political entanglements involving Austria, Turkey, and Bulgaria. The hyphenated characters debate whether the war is over and make cynical commentary about international diplomacy. 3. **"Dilemma" and "A Condition"** - Paired comic dialogues about marriage and clergy qualifications, presenting domestic and religious humor. 4. **"Portraits of Well-Known Men: John Dough"** - A caricature of a rotund, wealthy figure marked with a dollar sign, satirizing American capitalism and greed. The overall theme critiques both wartime politics and American materialism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
191 Ennui WHEN you and 1 together were, And all the world was young, We did not heed the little flowers Our feet were lost among. We did not need the little birds That help to make the Spring, Besides our love and our two selves We asked not anything. But now we search all life's bazars Where costly wares are sold, And buy and buy and find not joy, For all the world is old. D. E. P. Harding. Ring Around A-Rosy IRST HYPHEN: Ho! ho! Dot man Wilson he makes a big fuss by der Kaiser, und ven der shmoke clears avay der unterscebotes all be- long mit Austri: Seconp Hypn Yah; und now he chumps on Austria, und ve hear dot Turkey owns der whole flotilla! “Chure! Und ven t'ings gets too hot by Turkey ve joost hand der boats along to Bulgaria.” “Und by dot time der war iss over; if not, our goot friend der King of Abyssinia should gondinue der vork.” “ FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY” Dilemma A Condition USBAND: Why don’t you put your OST: What qualifications do you mind on it and get a good cook? think a clergyman should have? Wire (sweetly): I don't think I Parker: Well, I agree with a few know how. I don’t seem to have any of our older members that, for one faculty in selecting people to live with. — thing, he ought to be a Christian. JOHN DOUGH PORTRAITS OF WELL-KNOWN MEN comicbooks.com