Life, 1918-12-05 · page 26 of 76
Life — December 5, 1918 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines patriotic verse with a humorous domestic story, both addressing WWI themes. **Left side ("To England"):** A poem by Westmore Willcox Jr. addresses Britain, referencing their historical conflicts ("stamps or tea stirred up a row" — the American Revolution) while celebrating their current alliance in WWI. It praises British resilience against "the Hun" (Germany), their recruitment of troops "half-way across the earth's wide span," and joint American-British efforts "on the field of France." The message: past enemies are now proud allies against Germany. **Right side ("Mary Ellen Gives a Party"):** A series of illustrated vignettes shows a girl named Mary Ellen planning a Christmas dinner for a soldier named Jock. Her mother worries about the practicality, but Mary Ellen persuades neighbors—including "Tug," "Towser Brown," and dogs from the "Airedale family"—to contribute, ultimately gathering enough support for a proper Christmas celebration. **The connection:** Both pieces promote wartime unity and morale, blending patriotic solidarity with heartwarming domestic generosity toward soldiers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Christmas. Life To England E had some trouble once before— Mary Ellen Gives a Some stamps or tea stirred up a row; We fought you once on sea and shore— We're proud to fight beside you now! Three years we watched your Tom- mies stand Before the onslaughts of the Hun, And meet death in a foreign land Because a shameful wrong was donc. You kept the “thin red line” intact, Held Paris safe against her foes; Just what of guns and men you lacked 4 Mary, however, takes Tug, a. neigh- ; aie wayinow hor, into her confidence, and his opti- The world now only half-way knows. mism convinces her of the feasibility of her plan Out-planned, out-numbered, — unpre- pared, Surprised, shocked, slaughtered, still you stuck, Mary Ellen announces’ to, Jock her And what no sane men would have plan for a Christmas dinner for himselt dived and friends. But mother is filled with - : . — apprehension and domestic concern. You did! Thank God for Eng ¢ pluck! We watched that little army grow, After those first months’ agony. Your strong sons heard your bugles blow, Across the far-flung land and sea— Heard, and they answered to a man, Whate'er their color, caste or creed. Half-way across the earth’s wide span They rushed to fill their mother’s ay Good old Towser Brown, though ee é tather heavy and phlegmatic Soner eves. is included, j . dens jignity to the occa: For three long years we stood aside— si The whys and wherefors matter not. Murphy's mut is, harder to convince of ant us er good dateations. But that within our hearts the pride RE es At what you did was surging hot Now on the menacing gray sea Our ships and yours pass on and on, Laden with men to set man free From barbarous Germany's treacher- ous spawn And side by side, with smile and jest. In tent of field or ambulance, Our boys and yours the self-same quest Are making on the field of France. England, whose might strides on te- iore, To strike the curse from Freedom's brow, We fought you once on sea and shore— We're proud to fight beside you now ! In the Airedale family, next door, Mary E i © c Westmore Willeos, Jn iredale family, next door, Mary Ellen acquires the younger set that will give her party the real Christmas spirit. comicbooks.com