Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, July 1922 · page 41 of 67
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #35 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two pieces of light verse from *Captain Billy's Whiz Bang*, a humor magazine popular in the 1920s. **"Contemplation"** is a philosophical poem using allegorical figures—Pleasure (sensuous, talkative but teaches nothing) and Sorrow (silent, somber, yet instructive)—to argue that life's hardships offer more wisdom than frivolous enjoyment. The moral is conventional: suffer nobly rather than chase empty pleasures. **"How Gus Looked Next Morning"** appears to be comedic doggerel about a character named Gus (likely a recurring figure in the magazine) who has overindulged. The nonsense words ("Narg," "Hoo-doo tree," "s-k-y"—likely spelled out to mean "whiskey") and physical comedy description (purple nose, disheveled appearance) suggest a hangover joke. The humor is slapstick rather than sophisticated. Neither piece contains political satire. Both reflect the magazine's blend of sentimental philosophy and bawdy humor typical of post-WWI American periodicals.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
40 Captain Billy's Whiz Bang Contemplation By Carl H. F. Von Lautz. One day I chanced to take a stroll Deep in a woodland glen Where nature and all her beauty is found And SILENCE says THINK, to men. And as I walked through the forest deep I thought of many things Of the Pleasures and Sorrows of living men Of the Misery and Rapture they bring. Pleasure appeared from out a flower A sensuous being was she And as she gamboled along by my side She talked of the things she'd seen. Dancing away she left me there I watched her out of sight But never a thing did I learn from her 'Tho I listened with all my might. Sorrow came forth from a cave near by She was clad in sombre black Her stately tread was solemn and slow Her soul with despair was wracked. Awed, I stood there filled with esteem As Sorrow walked away But, Oh, the things I learned from her 'Tho never a word did she say. Oh, the folly of chasing Pleasure When Wisdom's so easily gained Life's longest span is all too short So live it not in vain. * * * How Gus Looked Next Morning A stately Narg, all sugged with glee, Sat dreaming beneath a Hoo-doo tree His nibs tucked in; his rags awry, And his nose all purple from s-k-y,