Life, 1904-07-07 · page 5 of 40
Life — July 7, 1904 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising with one short story**. The story "The Courage of Youth" depicts a confrontation between two boys—a stranger and the narrator—who engage in verbal sparring rather than physical fighting. The narrator lacks a "big brother" to back him up, so he relies on wit and insults instead of fists. The piece appears to celebrate *cleverness over physical strength* in settling disputes among youth. The advertisements (Chickering pianos, Dakota collars, Knox hats) occupy most space, reflecting Life's commercial focus. The story's gentle mockery of childhood bravado and bluffing was typical of Life's lighthearted social commentary on American behavior and class dynamics during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Courage of Youth. OU were feeling very spunky that noon when, amid your preserves, you descried a stranger boy; but civilly you chal- lenged him. One may witness two bluff but wary fox terriers thus approach each other, accost and investigate. “Hello!” you wagged; that is, said. “Hello yourself!” wagged he. “Say, what’s your name?” you inquired, as you had every right to do. “Puddin’ tame; ask me again, an’ I'll tell you the same,” he replied, insoleitly. At the unmerited rebuff you stiffened. “Better not give me any of your sass!” you growled, “Pooh! What’ll you do?” he growled back. “I'll show you what I'll do.” “You couldn't hurt a flea.” “T couldn't, couldn’: 1?” “Naw, you couldn't, ‘couldn't 17” Walking circles around each other, after this fashion you and he sowed crimination and recrimination, while larger and larger waxed an audience hopeful of seeing them spring up as blows. Only when the flurry came did you discover too late how much taller and stronger and older than you he was. Your bleeding nose showed this to you; and cowed and weeping you retreated in bad order. “I'l tell my big brother, and he'll fix you!” you yowled, threateningly “Aw, he ain't got any big brother,” jeered the heartless crowd, who saw no pathos in your abused organ, ‘This was true; you had none. “I'll tell my father, then,” you wailed, an- grily—another empty boast; and still sniffing, and fearsomely gory, with the handkerchiefs of yourself and your one faithfyl companion quite exhausted, you reached the haven of a friendly pump. Yet you had not been whipped—not ex- actly. 30t licked, didn’t you?” unkindly com- mented various friends and enemies, “I didn’t, either! you asserted, indignant; “I had to quit because my nose was bleedin’. It takes more’n him to lick me.” “He gave you a bloody nose, just the same.” You would not admit so much as that. “He didn’t, either; he never touched my nose, It bleeds awful easy. It bleeds some- times when you just look at it—don’t it, Hen?"—, in L. Sabin in Century, “Ts Jimson well equipped for the office he seeks?” ; he couldn't put $500 into the campaign if he wanted to.”—Detroit Free Press. “YOUR husband doesn’t seem to like work very much,” said the summer boarder. “That's where you wrong him,” said the woman with the sunbonnet on. “He likes work fine. Only he always wants it done by me or one of the girls."—IWashington Star. T is the beautiful tone of these instruments that has given them world-wide celebrity. This, with durability, insured by the highest quality of workmanship and finish, leads the purchaser to pay cheerfully the somewhat higher price asked for them. Catalogue upon Application CHICKERING & SONS Established 1823 7% Tremont St., Roston THE SWELL LONG POINT Patronize American industries. the creation par excellence of the nation, aw TORK, Wear a KNOX HAT | Agencies in all the principal cities fn the world. | comicbooks.com