Life, 1904-12-01 · page 15 of 64
Life — December 1, 1904 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines nostalgic Christmas sentiment with philosophical messaging. The central image shows a sledding accident in winter—a figure has fallen from a sleigh while another sled departs, captioned "A Falling Out with a Happy Ending." The poem "Santa Claus" by Minna Irving expresses adult longing to recapture childhood belief in Santa, requesting this as a Christmas gift from "Father Time." The "Greeting" section addresses readers directly, urging spiritual and moral values over materialism. It argues that meaningful life requires "some spark of preference for truth" and "prejudice in favor of righteousness"—essentially advocating moral conviction shouldn't be abandoned for purely financial gain. The sledding mishap likely symbolizes life's disappointments, while the "happy ending" caption suggests resilience or recovery. Together, the content promotes spiritual substance and nostalgic values during the materialistic Christmas season, a common Progressive-era critique of commercialism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Publistbed every Thure day by lavm Pusuismixa Company, 17 West Thirty- First St., New York. 95.00 a year In advance. DECEMBER 1, 1904. Number 1158. Santa Claus. USED to watch for Santa Claus With childish faith sublime, And listen in the snowy night To hear his sleigh-bells chime. Beside the door-on Christmas I put a truss of hay To feed the prancing, dancing steeds That sped him on his way. I pictured him a jolly man With beard of frosty white, And cheeks so fat, that, when he laughed, They hid his eyes from sight ; A FALLING OUT. WITH A HAPPY ENDING A heart that overflowed with love For little girls and boys, And on his back a bulging pack, Brimful of gorgeous toys. If children of a larger growth Could have a Christmas tree From Father Time, one gift alone Would be enough for me— Let others take the gems and gold, And trifles light and vain, But give me back my old belief In Santa Claus again ! Minna Irving. Greeting. ROTHER: Lire salutes you ! Are you in sympathy with the Christmas season? If so, stay so. If not, get so. Itis important It is essential to any considerable satisfaction with life that a man should have some spiritual quality. There must burn—or at least smoul- der—in him some spark of preference for truth; some prejudice, unsuborned, in favor of righteousness. It is im- possible to make life profitable on a purely material basis.