Life, 1904-03-03 · page 35 of 38
Life — March 3, 1904 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising with satirical commentary**, typical of Life magazine's format. The main editorial content is a humorous anecdote about a thought-reader named Cumberland who impresses a Polish Jewish traveler by accurately predicting his fraudulent business scheme (planning to buy goods, then declare bankruptcy and settle with creditors for 3%). The joke: the traveler pays Cumberland the bet not because his thoughts were read, but because Cumberland unwittingly gave him a "brilliant idea"—satirizing both the traveler's dishonesty and the charlatan nature of spiritualist performers. The essay "Mercy" is sardonic social criticism attacking wealthy industrialists who exploit workers while claiming moral superiority. It argues that their "mercy" is merely self-interested preservation of profit-generating systems, not genuine compassion. The advertisements include camera lenses, automobile parts, water, coffee, and beef extract—representative products of the era. The page reflects early 20th-century American skepticism toward spiritualism and sharp critique of industrial-age inequality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"99% of Camera valueis inthe lens’’ lens lets light through with the least possible resistance—this isneces- sary for instantaneous pho- tography. Our new for- mula for the Goerz Style B has produced a lens which en- | ables the amateur to make pictures under conditions which have heretofore been considered unfavorable. When you buy a camera tell the man you want a Goerz Lens. Sample Photographs sent on request Cc. P. GOERZ, Room 53, 52 E. Union Square, New York City To Owners of Gasoline Engines, Automobiles, Launches, Etc. The Auto-Sparker Goes away entirely with all startiog and y Fear Snteed;, write for descriptive catalog. fT Motsinger Device Mfg. Co, 70 Main Street, Pendictou, Ind, rom oT. fuver. THE DEERFIELD WATER .. ©) DEERFIELD, Onl0. PRESIDEN The "StyleB" Goerz | |ON SUSPENDERS ‘LIBE* the journey from Vienna to St. Peters- burg, Cumberland, the well-known anti- spiritualist and thought-reader, entertained his fellow-passengers by guessing their thoughts. One of the travelers, a Polish Jew, who took the whole thing as a hoax, offered to pay Cum- berland the sum of fifty roubles if he could | divine his thoughts, Visibly amused, Cumberland acceded to the request and said : “You are going to the fairat Nijni-Novgorod, where you intend to purchase goods to the extent of twenty thousand roubles, after which you will declare yourself a bankrupt and compound with your creditors for three per cent.” On hearing these words the Jew gazed at the speaker with reverential awe. He then, without uttering asyllable, drew out of the leg of his boot a shabby purse and handed over the fifty roubles. Whereupon the magician triumphantly inquired : “Then I have guessed your thoughts, eh ?” “No,” replied the Jew ; "but you have given me a brilliant idea. "—Erehange. THE DEWAR OPENING, On Monday, February 15th, were opened in the Knickerbocker Trust Building, corner Fifth Avenue and Thirty-fourth Street, the new American offices of John Dewar & Sons, Ltd., of Perth, Scotland, and, makers of the famous “De- “whisky, In the arrangement of the d the scheme of the decoration great taste displayed. The thistle is the foundation decorative scheme, and the color tone Is In n and gold. English oak and mahogany constitute the office fittings, and the whole estab- lishment is marked by an elegant simplicity which will have to . in use as well ie the orig! Robert Burns” which that ed worthy drained and in which his initials can still erick Glassup, the American mana ger, has become closely identified with the bus'ness and social life of New York City, His corps of ase sistants Is ample, and ft ts generally conceded that the American Interests of Messrs. Dewar & Sons could not be in better hands. Mercy. TTP HE quality of Merey is not strained. Asa matter of fact, this is in accordance with the strict tenets of Science, for straining would do no good, any Merey, to be effective, should be either sterilized, Pasteurized, or Morganiz peaking, however, Mercy is no longer Jes—that is, in circles where Strietly derigueur in the be money is predomin We need have no mercy on those people obliged to pay twice as much for the necessaries of life, just because we have formed a trust to keep up the prices and promote the standard of the most exalted educat Mercy is weakness, and peculiarly septic, thereby running contrary to the course of the very strong. Being mightier all the time, we must not foolishly allow it to stand in the way. Whatever quality Mercy has, therefore, must necessarily be poor and unfit for the use of the best financial interests. How can there be Mercy in a railroad combination or a corner in wheat? We tremble with righteous indignation at the idea. T.M, n. TALKING, oF TOFFEE Let me tell yoo if you want to get all the sweets of life you cannot afford to Ignore or overlook MACKINTOSH’S EXTRA CREAM FFEE od E Tamm introdactog fato thle country. Its exquis- ite flavor bas made {t popalar ta Great Britain and earme quali ating a demand for this country. All you have guessed avout Iife insurance may be wrong. If you wish to know the truth, send for “ow and Why," tssued by the PENN McTUaL LirR, « 921-3-5 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. For Long Journeys either by coach, as in the old da: automobile to-day, there is nothing to invigorate and fortify the system like LIEBIG COMPANY’S Extract of Beef Far better as a refresher anda stimulant than alcohol. A bracer without reaction, _ Get the genuine with this blue signature: For Forty Years the First solutely Gu: C. A. EDOARTON } MPG. C ‘Any shop or by mail, Boxa73, Shirley, Mas: comicbooks.com