Life, 1919-04-24 · page 28 of 46
Life — April 24, 1919 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines war-related content with satire typical of Life magazine's WWI-era output. **"Daffodils" poem**: A sentimental piece by Robert Garland expressing a soldier's longing to return home to peaceful spring scenes and a beloved woman. It contrasts the horrors of war ("guns and mud and noise," "dark, unmentioned thing") with pastoral domesticity—reflecting common wartime homesickness themes. **"Calls" section**: A humorous Q&A making military wordplay. The question asks which musical composition suits soldiers and sweethearts together; the answer plays on military bugle calls ("Pay-call," "Chow-call," "Tattoo") that would be familiar to soldiers—light satire on military life. **"The French Babies"**: A fundraising notice for orphans of the war, asking Life readers to sponsor French war orphans' care in Paris. This reflects actual WWI charitable efforts. **Bottom cartoon**: Shows a "Bohemian" character and "Isabella," apparently commenting on domestic marital conflict, with the caption suggesting someone regrets not being more insistent about something (text unclear, likely marital/domestic satire). The page mixes patriotic sentiment, war weariness, and domestic humor typical of American magazines during World War I.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Daffodils HEN [ return from far away. From distant lands where death is king, I pray that it may be a day In Spring ; A day when skies are soft and bright Above the slopes of kindly hills. And everywhere the daffodils Give lavishly their golden light I'm tired of guns and And many a dark, unmentioned thing ; I long to taste ; Of Spring. I picture you, beloved one, Beside your garden's tender ills. old like the ¢ April sun Robert Gare Calls Name some composi- mud and noise in the joys Your hair, flodils, A halo in the UESTION tion you feel would be the most appropriate for a gathering of soldiers and sweethearts Answer: Pay-call, Re-call, “ Chow "= call, Tattoo (Lights out), Call to Arms The French Babies IFE'S uilses in behalf of the the war. For ceived, F readers simply re ndon their kindly French babies orphaned by the maintenance of these little ones Lrer in all, § to Paris 1.833.123 franes We gratefully acknowledge fro The F. HS € Jot City ME City, NL VL, far Baby No, 3086 : and Mrs. E.G. Wyekoti, Ithaca, N.Y. for Baby No 687. irom which we have Grandin Milling Raby No, 3688 Newars: Willard Rice Platt. Ne ye $530 1 of Marechal Joffre.” Bellport, Wheel Va, Rho. Cine Riverdale ( Davis, Rola: (HURRAY ANOTHER EXPLANATION “WE TRAVELS THE F T WHO TRAVELS ALONE” $73; Mrs. Alexander i GALN WH rue DENT byter Will port The girls, RENT Bohemian: THERE, ISABELLA, MIGHT HAVE Cor IF YOU t WISH you'D TRY you NOT To Mrs W. C. Weste “ind Moily Allinson, West ( Rosiord, West Rye, NX. H uinsburg. Pa rnory wa Herbert D. Fost nn W. lay’ School Winnetka, ML $12; Florence C, Rich BARY NUMEPR 3684 acknowledged Vicksburg. Miss HARY NUMBER 3 4 New ola, Fla. York City BABY NUMAER 3682 Miss Noera’s School, Hot Springs. SEE WHAT HADN'T INSISTED ON PAYEN QUITE A BARS SO IMPROVE Unior ster