Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, January 1921 · page 43 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #16 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two pieces of light humor typical of this satirical magazine. The first section is sentimental verse about a woman named Phryne, referencing a famous ancient Greek courtesan. The poem redeems her character through a man's faithful love, contrasting her past ("arid desert") with one pure relationship ("white blossom of holy love"). The second piece, "Stranded" by H. H. Bennett, is a comedic fable: a bee falls asleep in a flower, which a cow unknowingly eats. The bee wakes furious and threatens revenge—but falls back asleep. When he awakens again, the cow is gone, leaving him stranded and unable to follow through on his threat. The humor lies in the deflated anticlimax: the bee's fierce indignation evaporates uselessly. Both pieces exemplify the magazine's blend of sentimental romance and absurdist comedy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang 41 In his arms death found her lying, from his arms her spirit fled, And his tears came down in torrents as he knelt beside his dead; Never once his love had faltered through her sad unhallowed life, And the stone above her ashes bears the sacred name of wife. That's the blossom I fain would pluck today from the garden above her dust, Not the languorous lily of soulless sin, nor the blood red rose of lust; But a sweet white blossom of holy love that grew in the one green spot, In the arid desert of Phryne's life where all else was parched and hot. * * * Stranded By H. H. Bennett 'Twas on a sunny morn in June, The bee had put his pipes a-tune And buzzed his way across a field, The while the birds their love-song spieled. He buzzed and ate full many an hour, Then crawled into a dainty flower And curled himself up for a nap, The same as any drowsy chap. A cow came browsing through the moor And towards the little floweret bore; Not knowing that the bee was there, She put it on her bill of fare. So rudely wakened from his doze, His beeship's fiery temper rose. "Old Cow," he said, "I'll sting you deep When I have finished up my sleep." So, cuddling in his darksome den, Eftsoons he went to sleep again. He slumbered on till nearly dawn— When he awoke, the cow had gone.