Life, 1906-08-02 · page 36 of 40
Life — August 2, 1906 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising with an embedded serialized story**, not political satire. The narrative text describes a speeding incident: a woman driver (Gertrude) is stopped by a constable for driving roughly 60 mph through a village. A local justice confronts her, initially threatening jail time for violating speed limits. The story's point concerns **early automobile culture and gender roles**. The constable and justice initially blame the male passenger (Holton) but learn the woman was driving. Rather than condemn her, they express grudging admiration—she was speeding to catch a train to meet her lover, a romantic gesture that redeems the traffic violation in their eyes. The advertisements emphasize consumer goods (Sohmer pianos, Beeman's gum, Gunn furniture) typical of early-20th-century Life magazine. The story appears designed to entertain while subtly addressing evolving attitudes toward women drivers—still novel and controversial in this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE Intending purchasers of a strictly first- class Piano should not fail to exam- <¢ ine the ‘ merits of THE WORLD RENOWNED SOHMER It is the special favorite of the refined and cultured musical public on account of rpassed tone-quality, unequaled dui elegance of design and finish. C ailed on application. Tne SOHMER-CECILIAN INSIDE PLAYER SURPASSES ALL OTHERS Favorable Terms to Responsible Parties SOHMER & COMPANY Warerooms Cor. Sth Ave. 22d St. NEW YORK 3 o CHEW... Beeman’s THE ORIGINAL Pepsin Gum + Cares Indigestion snd Sea-sickness. All Others sre_Imitations. | 2 > : i 3 3 > 3 3 3 3 3 Vor Salo at Every Drag Store Seccrsnsecevecersecceesoscosseneenseced SECTIONAL BOOK CASES when you buy a Roller Bearing, Non-Binding Doors Bands. Free. Are Made Only Sunn Furniture Co., or you couldn’t have done what you did. I'll go back and face them all.” “I do love you,” she said quietly, “Here comes a wagon. We must go. Whistle for Bob.” Bob came running up obediently and they started slowly back. The farmer gazed at them sullenly as they sped by, and then shook his fist at them. He recognized the machine that had passed him half an hour before. Suddenly, as they came to the next village, a man on horseback galloped up. He ward his hands and ordered them to stop. “T know you,” he shouted, “even if the girl isn’t driving. I know you, and I’ll have the law on you.” Holton stopped. “Who are you?” “I’m the constable of this here township, and I seen that young lady whizzing through here. T'll bet yer she was going at least a hundred miles an hour. Ye can’t do that around here without payin’ fer it. You’ve got to come along o’ me.” Gertrude turned ruefully to her lover. “T suppose there is no help for it,” she said. “Of course, I am to blame—there can be no doubt. We may be locked up.” Holton turned up the side street and the huge machine followed the horse and rider slowly. A small village crowd followed. The constable stopped in front of a dingy looking colonial house. “You git out,” he said authoritatively, “an’ come in here. The justice is waitin’ for yer. He'll give it ter yer, I reckon.” entered the house. A severely benevolent looking man with a rounded beard, seated at an oak desk in the center of a dingy room, rose as they came in. “Ive got ’em. I took their number anyway, but they couldn’t get away.” The keen eve of the justice took in his visitors. “IT suppose you know,” he said, “that you've been breaking the law.” Gertrude nodded. “This gentleman here, the constable, says you were going about one hundred miles an hour.” “Only sixty-two.” “Well that’s about four times as fast as the law allows. You rich folks ought to know better than that, anyhow. Common folks have some rights. You ought ter be put in jail, but as I understand the matter, this ere young woman was running the thing.” “Yes,” said the constable. “This here chap wasn’t in it when she went so fast. He ain’t ter blame.” “Yes, Tam,” laughed Holton. “I’m really the guilty one. You see, she was going after me. She had to beat the train to catch me.” The justice looked at him sharply. “Had ter beat the train, eh?” he said. “Well she did it all right.” “Yes, siree,” said the constable, not without a note of admiration, ‘‘she done it all right.” “T haven't any excuse to offer,” said Gertrude, “that is, none that you would care to accept. I knew I was going beyond the limit. I had to do it. But I’ll promise I never will do it again.” “T'll guarantee,” said Holton, ‘‘that she never does it again.” There was a pause. Pp seme reepace LITTLE, BUT NEVER LET Go, THEY HANG ON THE FASTENER WITH A BULL-DOG GRIP | WASHBURNE Hiasstta FASTENERS f Men swesr by them, not at them. DEWAKE OF IMITATIONS, — LOOK FOR NAME. Kez Chains, « 330. Cal Welders, 200, Catalague Pree Sold bseryutere Dept, 58 Waterbery, Comm AMERICAN RING CO, OUCH & P Firzeer? 177 BROADWAY 688 BROADWAY 723 SIXTH AVENUE BUNKER HILL BREWERIES EST'D 1821 CHARLESTOWN, MASS, comicbooks.com