Life, 1919-04-10 · page 7 of 46
Life — April 10, 1919 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a poem by Maurine Halliburton titled "The Alien," told from a dachshund's perspective. The poem expresses the dog's longing for its original owner who "came from a land across the sea" and went away to fight, leaving the pet unwanted and homeless. The satire appears to reference anti-German sentiment during or after World War I. Dachshunds—a German breed—faced discrimination in America during this period, often viewed as "alien" due to their nationality of origin. The poem humorously personifies this prejudice through the dog's voice, highlighting how innocent creatures suffered collateral damage from wartime xenophobia. The accompanying illustration depicts a domestic scene, emphasizing the pet's displacement and rejection despite its loyalty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Allien T 1E other puppies romp and play \bout the yard the livelong day. Bui from poor little me they turn, My playful nips they coldly spurn, Ov growl as if they'd eat me up— For I'ma little dachshund pup! The little master didn’t know, I wness, that they would treat me so, And that T wasn't just the sort They would allow to join their sport, Or else he'd never picked me up— \ little, homeless dachshund pup. The man that first belonged to me Came from a land across the sea, But he became a citizen And went away to fight, and then I had no place to sleep or sup— Nobody wants a dachshund pup! And though the little master’s fine, \ll day I sit alone and whine While other pups each other worry; ven the biggest bones I bury They never, never will dig up— Because Tam a dachshund pup. That big old English bull, named Gus, Who lives across the street from us, \Vith all the other dogs will play, ‘ut snarls and chases me away. Oh, dear! 1 wish he'd cat me up!— \hy was IT born a dachshund pup? Maurine Halliburton, SENATOR LODGE and President *“ Lowell have set such a style in de- lating, that we may expect to see the viscussion between Dempsey and Wil- lard an afternoon tea, in which the contestants will tap each other with padded fans. MARY, IT’S MY TURN TO MAKE A FUSS OVER FATHER. I'M BIT AS HARD UP AS YOU ARE” comicbooks.com