Life, 1918-10-31 · page 25 of 34
Life — October 31, 1918 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine (circa 1918, based on references to WWI) contains two main elements: **"Hallowe'en Charm"**: A poem by Arthur Guiterman presenting a protective spell for soldiers fighting in World War I. The illustrated borders feature witches, jack-o'-lanterns, broomsticks, and magical imagery. This is sentimental patriotic verse—using Halloween's magical associations to invoke supernatural protection for "him that's far away" (soldiers on the front lines). The rhetoric about lending "strength" and breaking "the foeman's line" makes the military purpose explicit. **"The Christmas Fund of 1918"**: An appeal for donations to provide French orphans with Christmas gifts, listing contributors and amounts. The magazine notes it's raised money slowly and urges readers to hurry donations so each of 3,300 children receives a dollar's worth of gifts. **"Hard to Find"**: A brief satirical dialogue where Crawford seeks a place with "fine climate, no malaria," and Crasshaw quips about finding nowhere without "jazz bands or sex plays or problem novels"—poking fun at social anxieties about modern entertainment corrupting society. The page primarily documents wartime charitable fundraising and patriotic sentiment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Hallowe’en Cham FERN seed, hemp seed, water of the well, Bark of wizard hazel-wand, berry of the bay, Let the fairy gifts of you mingle with the spell, Guard the precious life and soul of him that’s far away! Oak slip, thorn slip, crystal of the dew, Morsel of his native earth, shoot of mountain pine, Lend his arm the strength of you, let his eye be true, Send him like the thunderbolt to break the foeman’s line! Rose leaf, elm leaf, kernel of the wheat, Airy waft of thistledown, feather of the wren, Bring him peace and happiness, let his dream be sweet, Take my secret thought to him and call him home again! $25; Louise Henderson, Washington, D. C., $2: The girls in War and Navy Building, Enlisted Division Adjutant Office, Washington, D. C., $25; Troop 3, Greenwich Boy Scouts of America, Sound Beach, Conn., $5. BABY NUMBER 3217 Already acknowledged . Mrs. Cecil A. Lyon, Colorado Springs, J. H, Folger, Mount Airy, North Carolin: a Monitor Sunday School, Monitor, Alta., Canala. Mrs. W. S. Goos, Lake Charles, La. Frances A. Wilkinson, Sacramento, Cal Emily E. Whitmore, Woodmont, Conn. BABY NUMBER 3279 Emily E. Whitmore, Woodmont, Conn........ Mrs, Agnes Cornelia Shoens, New York City THE CHRISTMAS FUND OF 1918 It isn’t in us to reproach Lire’s generous readers for the slow growth of the Christmas Fund. They have responded so splendidly to the call of the French babies that no blame could attach to them if they never did another thing. Just the same, they must hurry up if they want every one of the orphaned kiddies to have a dollar's worth of Christmas joy. the dollar-first having gone into the pockets of a wounded French soldier and a French woman impoverished by the war, for their work on toys and useful garments. From the following figures it will be seen that the aver- Arthur Guiterman, age provided for cach of the 3,300 children is a little over twenty-five cents. Our readers must hurry up if they want to make it a dollar. Lire has received from C._B. Moore, Philadelphia, Pa... echt eaas, $20 “Sybil Santa Claus,” New York Cit ess jeutenant John Fleek and Henry ‘ewark, Ohio “ Elizabeth D, Watson-Rochester . Mrs. Cecil A. Lyon, Colorado Spring: . H. Folger, Mount’ Airy, North Carolina thomas C. Patterson, Vivian, W. Va. Marjorie F. Wagner, Warsaw, Ind.. W. N. Wise, Penn Yan, New York Miss Faith Hunter Dodge, Oakland, Cal “ Dudley, Mass.” . “In memory of E. D. Miss L. Coote, Fresno, Cal. Helen Orford, ‘Scher-ctady “A Friend,” New York Ci Mrs. Elizabeth Pontefract, Shicl Jeanette J, Christmas, Mt! Airy, M. Longenecker, Ann Arbor, Mich.. . Agnes Cornelia Shoens, New York ready acknowledged . Rens aunudenunnwy $760.88 Hard to Find RAWFORD: was last winter? mosquitoes, CrassHaw: My boy, I'm looking for a place where there are no jazz bands or sex plays or problem novels, Why don't you go to the place where I Fine climate, and no malaria or