Life, 1899-07-20 · page 20 of 20
Life — July 20, 1899 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire. The central cartoon shows a missionary encountering what appears to be an Indigenous person in a desert setting. The caption reads: "Missionary: How did you come to such a pass? It was by—'Water.'" The joke relies on a pun: the missionary assumes spiritual/moral failure ("come to such a pass"), but the person's literal answer about water suggests physical hardship from the environment rather than moral degradation. This reflects 1899 attitudes portraying non-Western peoples through a lens of assumed spiritual need. The surrounding ads promote period products: Golden Sceptre pipes, Rambler bicycles ($40), Esterbrook pens, Waltham watches, and Ypsilanti health underwear. These ads target middle-class consumers of the Gilded Age, with the watch company emphasizing accuracy as essential for "everyone awheel or afoot"—reflecting the bicycle craze and modern transportation of that era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
July 20, 1899, GDENSCEDIRE” uy PERFECTION. We will send on re- ceipt of 10c. a sompie to any address. Opfalen SURBRUG “Good old Ramblers” tryi erally feel secure and settled with FRamdler- **20 YEAR OLD FAVORITES” Price $4-0 ACENCIES EVERYWHERE Gonmuuas & Je vreuy Myo. Co. Chicago. Boston. Washington. New York. Bros oklyn, Detroit, Cinein nani Buffalo. Cleveland. London, Eng. eh ie Writer, No. 130. Ask cha Se ces forthem. ™~EsterbrookSteel PenCo, ‘Works, Camden, N.J. 26John8t.,N. ¥. SEND FOR BOOKLET TO HAY & TODD MFG CO YPSILANTI. MICH All you have guessed Avex tel ratonses yo se waren”? Sirect, Philadelphia: Waltham Watches. Everyone awheel or afoot should carry a Waltham Watch—the most accurate machine for keeping time it is possible to make. “The Perfected American Watch,” an illustrated book of interesting information about Watches, sent free on request. American Waltham Watch Company, Waltham, [ass. ead PALES OF THE J. W. PRATT CO., NEW YORK. comicbooks.com