Life — June 27, 1918 — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AERIE * “T di stranger, seating himself on the ex- treme edge of the cloud, “for I'm slated for the lower regions, without any doubt. You see, I was a clergy- man when I was on earth. After a while the rottenness and hellishness of the Prussians got on my nerves, and I enlisted. When I finally went into action I shot five of the devils with my rifle, clubbed another to death with the ike to bore you,” said the THE SERVICE PLAG Heaven Makes an Exception ROUSED from his afternoon nap by the violent ringing of the bell on the pearly gates, St. Peter staggered to his feet and peered out through the platinum sliding-panel. “Name, address, favorite religion, cause of death and qualifications for angelhood, please?” he mumbled. His hearer smiled sadly, “Alas,” said he, “I know only too well that my + sin makes it impossible for me to hope for your hospitality.” St. Peter rubbed his eyes and looked at the speaker with .more interest “Take a seat,” said he, indicating a rounded cloud in the foreground. “What's your story butt, blew three to pieces with a bomb, and choked, another to death with my bare hands. Of course, I should have turned the other cheek and all that sort of thing, but somehow or other I don’t regret it. St. Peter smiled genially. chap,” said he, “no complaints will be lodged against you in this court. The rotters you killed will never get this far! Step right in, old fellow! You'll find the harps in the second building on your leit, and the quartermaster will fit you out with wings Ten seconds later the jovial old saint, having placed an assistant at the gate, was personally conducting the new- comer down the golden boulevard, in token of his admiration and esteem. “My dear HOW AUSTRIA-HUNGARY BECAME THE GERMAN GOAT Creeling creel? Have you ever creeled? Do you know what it means to creel? Would you creel if you could? If you saw someone else creeling would you object? Or do you consider it quite proper for anyone to creel, no matter who they are? Is it right to creel constantly, or should certain times be set aside for it? If creeling is right for the mature, is it right for the young? All these are pertinent questions. Creeling, we are fully aware, is con- sidered by some a pastime, without serious consequences, except for the money it takes. But these argue, doubt- less, that even if it does cost mon it is worth something to keep so many people amused. By others creeling is taken more seriously, They solemnly declare that it is a menace to the state; that it is founded on pacifism, on erudeness, on a kind of socialism not for the best interests of all concerned, on a certain strain of egotistic vulgarity— and they think that, when so many other non-essentials are being cut out, creeling should also go. Creeling, in short, seems to depend upon one’s point of view. Perhaps the best way to decide this important ques- tion is to learn how to creel yourself first. To do this, become a socialist, then a pacifist, then a semi-journalist, then a stump speaker, then a quasi politician, and after that be ready at a moment's notice to apologize for everything that you have previously been. All this will give you a personal, in- timate idea of creeling, and you can then decide for yourself as to whether it is worth while or not for the ma jority of people to take it on for the duration of any war. O you