Life — November 23, 1916 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Hidden Host" - Life Magazine Satire This page presents a poem by Richard Butler Glaenzer alongside an illustration titled "The Old Stage Door." The poem uses theatrical metaphor to explore human nature—the "demons and angels" within us that invisibly shape our character and choices, numbering "ten million and seven." The accompanying sketch depicts a stage entrance with theatrical posters advertising period films (visible titles include "The Kiss," "Revenge," "Love"). A well-dressed man in a bowler hat stands outside, apparently seeking entry, while a woman in period costume leans from the doorway. The satire appears to critique the theater world or perhaps broader questions about authenticity versus performance in society—the "hidden" influences that determine who we become, referenced in both the poem's title and the theatrical setting.