Life, 1906-07-12 · page 8 of 24
Life — July 12, 1906 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines charitable fundraising with automotive humor. The "Fresh Air Fund" section solicits donations for a program providing outdoor experiences to city children (a real early-20th-century charity). Below are postcards from Life's Fresh Air Farm in Connecticut, showing families' gratitude. The main content is "Rules for Automobile Guests" by Carolyn Wells—satirical etiquette advice for riding in cars. The humor targets early automotive culture: guests should flatter the car, feign ignorance about mechanical details, express amazement at speed, and avoid suggesting safer driving. The accompanying illustration shows an early motorcar full of passengers. The joke reflects period anxieties about automobiles—their novelty, danger, and the owner's pride in them—while gently mocking both automotive enthusiasm and passengers' performative politeness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
48 Our Fresh Air Fund PRENIOUSLY choos! “EC. BS ged wis “HK OL RS “GMM In Memory Acknowledged with Thanks 1 barrel of floor from The Washb ny Co., Minnesota 1 package of clothing from Mrs. A Richard 1 package of clot mm Miss Rich PoStals from Life's Fresh Air Farm IFES FARM, Braxcuvinte. Cr. CHANGED TO SUIT THE TIMES W WISHES WERE AUTOS, BECGARS WOULD KDE” nod time Rules for Automobile Guess See Neon jeehay: LWAYS tell your host that his is IFES FARM Sey hy the finest machine you ever rode in, Bersenvinee, Coss Ask him if it isn’t the best Deer Mether—1 am so loncvanie tot you aind tam having a good time Ort make there is. io Nit From Sey. . y you thought so, when 0 Pars TT Ask him what really Dear Papa—are you mad at me because | did not kiss you. at 9 akes it go. IVES FARM BRANCH Listen while he tells you Lie ee Ask him if he-isn’t going very swiftly. Dear Methe « boping to Gnd you in good health and letting Express surprise when he says the machine is merely getting warmed up, and for you to wait. Wait. LIFES Fara Remark that automobiling is the poetry of motion. - Bene Ww = ae * esaciioe ines iach an wwe And that you never before knew what it meant to rea iiaveiug argos Lane we ace qeitina’al good GOs they are iveticw’tis GA’ Gleet And that you feel an exquisite, inexplicable elation < numb Admire his motoring get-up. Tell him how well he looks in automobile togs. Ask him if you may sug- gest. a name for his ma- chine, Ask him what are the spark plugs Look wise. Ask him how to spell car- bureter. Express no surprise at his Say that you’ would be afraid to go so fast if any one else were drivi Ask to have all the parts in sight explained to you Inquire minutely about the others. Introduce no subject save automobiles. Disparage all others and praise the one you're in, Keep it up, AT LIFE’S FRESH AIR FARM = ; THE TLOWER GATHERERS Carolyn Wells. comicbooks.com