Life, 1919-01-02 · page 11 of 34
Life — January 2, 1919 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct items: 1. **"France and I"** — A sentimental poem by Katherine Park Lewis about a romantic relationship with a French woman, accompanied by an illustration of two figures by a tree and water. 2. **"The Philosophy of Dog-Keeping"** — An essay arguing that dogs provide emotional value through loyalty and faithfulness, qualities humans need but rarely find. It defends dog ownership against criticism. 3. **"Extras Wanted"** — A single-panel cartoon showing a movie employer interviewing an applicant, asking if they can insure their fingers for baseball or piano. The applicant responds they're afraid the employer won't want them to take part of a cow-boy (likely meaning they appear unsuitable for the film role being cast). The page appears primarily literary and humorous rather than explicitly political.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
His Mother's Voice: wittte! 11's TIME TO COME AND TAKE YOUR BATIE The Philosophy of Dog- eeping RIA can assume a variety ugly and sinister shapes, but it is hard to think of anything quite so rutally stupid and silly as that modest proposal from some person or persons YST unknown to abolish our dogs until peace has been firmly established. The cynical absurdity of it is not shown up when you speak only of what some dogs have done and are capable of do- ing when properly taught and trained The truth is that the a dog can give is not the chief consideration with most people who keep dogs, nor the real reason for letting .wem live. and of course there is not much to be said for the excuse that they lend themselves easily to petting and indul- gence and get accustomed to that sort service of thing. The reason why a good dog interests and appeals to us is that we recognize in it in some way or other an embodiment of the idea of fidelity. which is one of the essential luxuries like hope or belief in progress. alty is a form of faith and a morally necessary idea, and we cannot get along without it. An obscure response to it is hidden in the most skeptical heart, but it is a scarce commodity in human relation | hard to g nywhere, and there are a good many ¢ Loy- people who are really cheered up and comforted by the devotion of a dog and would feel a lot poorer in the world without one to follow at their heels. PPLICANT (to insurance ayent) : Can 1 insure my fingers? " Baseball or piano player?” France and | H, how we played together, France and I, In those fair days when I was young, and she Bewitched me with her loveliness, her verve, Her simpleness and her complexity. We spent the spring together in the South— What high good spirits she was in, that spring! And then she Ied me to Alsace, and there T knew what she had borne of suffer- ing. One memorable June she showed to me The shining fields of gentle Picardy, And when the autumn leaves began to glow She led me to the glades of Chantilly. When winter's tang turned all the air to wine She shared her Paris lavishly with me. Oh, how I loved that gay and careless France Who gave me of her best, unstint- ingly. I'm going back to my beloved France (If it’s the wish of God in heaven above). And how we'll work together, France and I, When I go back to pay my debt of re! love! Katherine Park Lewis mployer (to applicant) : EvEeR A cow? “ves.” “I'M AFRAID YOU WON'T DO. WE WANT BODY TO TAKE THE PART OF A COW- comicbooks.com