Life, 1904-12-03 · page 18 of 22
Life — December 3, 1904 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, with brief satirical items interspersed. The main visual is a **large woodcut-style illustration** advertising the Great Northern Steamship Line, showing two Native Americans observing steamships on water—likely depicting indigenous peoples' perspective on modern transportation technology arriving in the Pacific Northwest. The text items are short humor pieces typical of Life's format: - **"'Twas Excelsior"** mocks a new breakfast cereal marketed with an inflated name, suggesting consumers are fooled by branding over substance - **The "Miss Checkworthy" joke** satirizes male vanity—a man notices a woman's appearance only when she's disheveled at home, contrasting idealized public presentation with reality - **The teacher/Jeffries joke** pokes fun at an educator who misstates facts (claiming boxer Jeffries was an English judge) The advertisements promote shipping lines, hotels, card games, wines, and whiskey—typical turn-of-century luxury goods marketed to Life's affluent readership. Overall, this reflects Life's satirical voice mocking pretension, false advertising, and human folly among the educated classes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
= 5 a] d NEW <3 OUR FOOLISH, * xy i yin a TWIN-SCREW (ONTEMPo! os yy _ STEAMERS 2 ste worki mm 6 “TWAS EXCELSIOR. The shades of night were falling fast As down the café aisle there passed A girl who bore what looked like rice, Yet called she it by this device— “Excelsior!” - “Tis not ‘Sawdust,’ she explained, ‘Mat in Middlings,’ hulled and grained, * or yet ‘Near-Fodder,’ nor ‘Chew-Chew’. This breakfast food is something NEW. =xcelsior! —Boston Post. Tue Sovrn ror Hosrrratity: The Manor, Asheville, North Carolina, is the bestinn South. Booklet, - oe ay >.< Ir is bad business to fall in love at fifty, but the elderly financier was “up agin it,” so he proposed in | due form. The sweet young thing refused, and when asked for a reason replied, curtly, after a deal of ing. Your past!” “But I've always lived honestly—there’s nothing | against me in any way. What do you find to reproach | me in ‘my past’—as you call it?” “Its length'"—Sporting Times. WhSeed HOTEL VENDOME, BOSTON. ‘The ideal hotel of America for permanent and transient | guests. Tne following bill is handed weekly by the school washerwoman to a principal of a boarding school in western Pennsylvania: “To washing four teachers, five dollars."—Lippin- cott's Mag an N H THE NEW PARKER GAME, ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES.” A light, bright, catchy card game which society has taken up and which everybody likes. Published by Parker Brothers of Salem, Mass., New York, and London, also sole owners and makers of Prr, Sir Peter Peppercorn, Bro, Ping- Pong, and other famous gaines. * Harv: Evidently you are far gone on Miss Checkworthy; but it beats me why. I saw her the other evening, dressed in her finest, and I must say I epiex An but yeu should have seen ter as t| | GREAT NORTHERN STEAMSHIP LINE did one day last week, with her hair in papers and Operating Between SEATTLE-TACOMA on Puget Sound and with only a calico wrapper for a gown, sitting in her | sen soom, ciipoing coupans from © great pie of Japan, China, Hongkong and Manila securities. —Boston Transcript. In Direct Connection with tho Our catalogue of fine wines, etc., contains much useful GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY & NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILWAY and interesting information upon the subject. We will mail itto you, upon request, without charge, Luyties Brothers, From Whose Representatives Tickets and Further Information can be Obtained Importers, Bridge Arches, New York. OR AT The Head Offices of the Company “Wett, Johnny,” asked Mr. McRobinsan, “how 402 Burke Buildings 1 like your new teacher? Pretty smart, isn’t ‘ SEATTLE " responded Johnny, sourly, “she ain’ J. D. FARRELL WASH, GEO. SUTHERLAND How do you know? President and General Manager ent. Traffic Manager She wuz tellin’ us today that Jeffries wuz an English Judge.” “Well, what's wrong with that?” thought eerste Lowel’ that etricg ett: ane || WE CLAIM IS BEST— American champecn pugilist of the world.”"—Pittsburg THAT RYE BECAUSE Fist Swirwreckgo Tourist: Here we are, ona It is sold straight. It brings the distiller far more price desert island, with no food in sight. _ than any other made in the United States. Secon SutrwreckeD Tourist: What difference does It is hand made, sour mash, and has the best reputation. Our Scotch Whiskies are true Glenlivets; are sold straight. The Souvenir is old, The Bonnie Brier Bush is very old. “then Tillie! jon, Ge'ws'te Awtacve || He Be KIRK & CO., New York land Plain Dealer, that make? Didn't I save a box of Fonseca’s cigars? comicbooks.com