Life, 1919-03-13 · page 9 of 42
Life — March 13, 1919 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page contains two distinct pieces of satire: **"Mercy!"** depicts a spy (labeled Superspy Number 378602) being released from an American military prison. The humor centers on the spy's gleeful questions about enemy leaders—the Emperor, Death's Head prince, Mackensen, Ludendorff, and U-boats. The guard's frustrated responses reveal these figures are scattered across Europe or already defeated, with the punchline that "Americans are not merciful" for releasing him to discover his side has lost. **"A Fragment of Future History"** imagines 1942 as a turning point where Earth became "dry" and the Fourth Dimension became habitable. It's absurdist speculative fiction about dimensional travel and invisible visitors. **"Has the Advantage"** shows an army mule that can't be court-martialed after discharge—a joke about military discipline and animal exemptions. These appear designed for American wartime audiences familiar with WWI enemy figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
401 Mercy ! UPERSPY Number 378602, had been locked up in solitary confine- ment in an American military prison for the duration of the war, At last, one morning, the door of his cell was opened. “You are free said the guard. “The war is over.” “And where are our beloved Em- peror and the Death’s-Head imajestic prince “They are in Holland, Fritz,” was the answer. the spy’s first question. “As | prophesied. I knew we would be obliged to conquer Holland. And ous Mackensen?” the supermarve “He is somewhere in Greece.” The spy heaved a sigh of content “LT knew we'd land in Greee And the incomparable Ludendorft?" * He is in Sweden.” “IT knew,” continued 37%, “we should get Sweden in the end. The in great ar fully: “Where are the wonderful U- and our indomitable fleet?” They was the answer. jon, he asked glee- are all in English harbors,” “In English harhors!" he chortled, “T prophesied that too.” hed him back into his cell and locked the door. “You'd better stay there for the rest of your life. Nobody shall say the merciful!” S. 1. Sterne. Gently the guard 4 Americans are nm WHY NOT STATUETTES IN MEMORY OF SOME STAY-AT-HOMES? Has the Advantage : HE ARMY MULE: they can’t make me return my coat A Fragment of Future History after I'm mustered out and Anyhow, [in toge that the whote earth was finally * dry the Fourth Dimension back in fashion Chousands, urged by thirst, had found the road to the vurth Dimension. They suddenly became invisible for rickness with and returned to Length, Breadth and 1 on their faces which some ancient Hebraic reporters 1 they saw on the phiz of Moses when he came down el. with his celebrated Ten Verbotens. In 1 937 the one- ondredth amendment to the Constitution was jammed sigh, prohibiting anyone from becoming invisible with- uta permit from the ary of Low Visibility \ war broke out between the visitors to the Fourth Dimensional blind tigers and those who still clung to the rid Three, which resulted in the victory of the Race of Shiny Faces, Which proved that necessity is the mother of circum- ention, SEEING NEW YORK—AS SOME PEOPLE DO SEE IT