Life, 1904-06-02 · page 43 of 50
Life — June 2, 1904 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The left side features a comic poem titled "First Boy In," originally from the *Chicago Tribune*. It depicts a nervous boy experiencing all the physical anxieties of his first day at school—stammering, trembling, racing heart, sweating—as he boasts about being "first in" at various activities. The satire mocks youthful bravado masking genuine terror: the boy claims superiority while describing unmistakable panic symptoms. It's humorous commentary on adolescent masculinity and the gap between pretended confidence and actual fear. The remaining page content is primarily **period advertising** (Sozodont toothpaste, Equitable Life Insurance, Collver world tours, walking-stick commentary). The Life magazine page structure mixed editorial humor with commercial sponsorship, typical of early 20th-century publications. The Equitable Insurance ad notably uses bridge imagery to sell endowment policies—visualizing financial security as crossing from uncertainty to safety.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SOZODONT A PERFECT LIQUID DENTIFRICE FOR THE TEETH *»> BREATH. USE WITH os SOZODONT It ast me if it fel-felt cold. MENS AND ROOSTERS, WILL RE THAT OF A COLLEGE MAN GIVING «*First Boy In.” HIRT'S ina knot ai lastered a it ain't on right? inst my head? Hait’s py y fingers white ? es is red! nok sick ? in’ with my chin ? Teeth ch-chatte Wob-wob-wobbi Just Bret-rer! But 1 was th’ first one int ot out of th creer-e Say! Th’ was m th’ Gr-Green boys, Hicksey Murphy an’ Bub-bill Brown ake a lot o' noise! -shed to tht very skin, Twas in th I sassaid, ‘it's warm ant nice, Nis CLASS VELL as Lever told— t's worse "n ice, eee © EQUITABLE She'll want to ki tT been about— I'm goin’ home to Tee-teeth cl Trem-trem- HENRY B HYDE Say! Its dandy dow-down th’ crick ! Honest, I was th’ first one in, —Chicago Tribune “POOR the past few years walking-sticks have been J men of the fr Journal; however, be seen on all occasions duri and summer sea son. The well-groomed man carries his walk- ck to business for service all through the y. It would be quite impossible to say what dle is most favored. y SS msy in treatment. Thorough is ane for service rather than to twirl Y 7 THE SPAN hand.” . Motte. for a Newspaper: of life is uncertain—it may ELL the truth, and shame the printer's i ©6be long- or it may be short. devil style of An adequate Endowment policy in the Equitable is a bridge on which you can e } cross safely over the waters of uncer- Bh | COLLVER TOURS | tainty to the solid ground of certainty. De Luxe A sunatl way alte SUEY, 2s returning | | If the span of your life is short, it pro- tects your family. If your life is long it provides for your own mature years. Opportunities for men of character toact as representatives Apply to GAGE E. TARBELL, 2nd Vice Presiden SerER so sp JAPAN Nevin vere | For full information fill aut this coupon or write Round the World | The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States ieae ‘ 120 BROADWAY, NEW YORK Dept IN SHEEAUL with SAYA and BURMA Please send me information regarding an Endowment for $... : $875.00 to $2500,00 Distinction and Diatincticeness, Send for Booklet B | if issued at ears of age. | LEON L, COLLVER Name... 968 BOYLSTON STREET, BOSTON { il Address, comicbooks.com