Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, May 1922 · page 43 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #33 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Captain Billy's Whiz Bang* (a satirical/humor magazine) contains two poems rather than cartoons. The first section reprints a recitation by performer Ed. E. Ford that celebrates interfaith tolerance. A Jewish chaplain and rabbi perform last rites for a Christian soldier, suggesting moral decency transcends religious difference—a progressive message for the era (appears to be 1920s-30s based on publication style). The second section, titled "'Ostler Joe," republishes a classic poem about a woman buried in a grave who "lured men's souls to the shores of sin" with her beauty and songs. The poem trades in romantic melodrama common to the period—treating a seductive woman as a tragic, morally corrupting figure. Both texts reflect early 20th-century popular verse: one promoting interfaith unity, the other indulging in sentimental tragedy and moral judgment of women's sexuality. The page preserves established literary content rather than creating original satire.
📄 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 Smokehouse Poetry A few days ago Mr. Ed. E. Ford, then playing in an original act at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, jour- neyed out to Robbinsdale to pay his respects to Captain Billy, Mrs. Billy, Maggie the cook, and Pedro Junior, our pedigreed bull. Mr. Ford entertained the Whiz Bang farm household and Deacon Miller's family with his famous recitation "Whether You're Jew or Christian," and so de- lighted us that he consented to permit Smokehouse Poetry to feature this recitation in the June issue. It goes some- thing like this— “But a Jewish chaplain saw him; What matter the faith or creed, A Jewish rabbi—He raised on high, The cross of the Christ he must still deny, And he prayed by his side till he saw him die, And the poor bruised soul was freed.” * * * 'Ostler Joe This old favorite of many generations is hereby repub- lished by request of new readers who have not been able to obtain the complete poem. This gem of life and love orig- inally was published under the name of "Phryne's Husband," but constant usage has given it the adopted name of 'Ostler Joe.—The Editor. I stood at eve, when the sun went down, by a grave where a woman lies,