Life, 1906-12-20 · page 31 of 46
Life — December 20, 1906 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and book promotion**, not political satire. The left column contains a biographical article about author Bram Stoker's friendship with actor Henry Irving, including an anecdote about Irving's failed attempt to host a garden party—he wanted to invite all his friends but the list exceeded 5,000 people, making the event impossible. The right side features "Ideas for Christmas," a gift guide listing books published by The Century Company. These include titles like "Don-A-Dreams," "Georgie," and "Uncle William"—children's and young adult literature typical of the era. Below is a railroad advertisement for the Overland Limited train to California, and at the bottom is an advertisement for Old Crow Rye whiskey. There is **no political cartoon or satire** on this page—it's a standard magazine layout mixing editorial content with commercial advertisements, typical of early 20th-century American magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘OR thirty years Bram Stoker was an intimate friend of the late Sir Henry Irving. During most of that period Mr. Stoker was, as Irving's business manager, his daily associ: Tt is the record of those eventful years that Mr. Stoker has chronicled in ‘*Personal Reminiscences of ) ‘The author assures us he is not a panegyri 's the Argonaut, but no proper account of Irving, the artist, and Irving, the man, could be less than panegyric, and Mr. Stoker’s boundless affection and reverence for the dead tragedian are manifest on every page. Irving had a genius for friendship; there is not a more charming personality in the history of the stage, and Mr. Stoker could not have done better than “to convey the sense of Irving’s worthiness by showing him among his friends.” The list of persons who fell under the spell of his winsome courtesy, his gentle sympathy, his manly sincerity, would form an index to those of note of the time. Irving delighted to give midnight suppers in the famous Beeksteak Room of his Lyceum Theatre. Of the guests at these functions, Mr. Stoker sa A list of the names of those who have supped with Irving there would alone fill chapters of this book. They were of all kinds and degre travelers, explorers, ambassadors, foreign princes and pocts, novelists, historians, writers. Rep- resentatives of all the learned professions ; of all al worlds; of all the great industries. Sportsmen, landlords, agriculturists. Men and women of leisure and fashion. Scientists, thinkers, inventors, philanthropists, divines. Egotists, phi losophers, artists of . _Invery truth, the list was endless and kaleidoscopic. Irving never knew how many personal friends he had, for all who ever met him claimed acquaintance- ship for evermore—and always to his great delight. let me give an instance: In the late ‘eighties’ when he took a house with an enormous garden in Brook Green, Hammersmith, he had the house rebuilt and beautifully furnished ; but he never lived in it. However, in the summer, he thought it would be a good opportunity of giving a garden party at which he might sce all his friends together. He explained to me what he would like to do: “T want to see all my friends at once; and I wish to have it se ged that there shall be no one kft out. Perhaps you may remember our friends better than I do; would you mind making out a list f ‘o that we can send the invitations. Gunter can do the commissariat. Of course, I should like to ask a few of our Lyceum audience who come much to th Some of them I know, but there are others from whom I have received endless courtesies and | want them to see that ] lookon themas friends.” 's afterward in the office he said to me: at about that list? We ought to be getting the invitations.” 0 use,” I said. “You can’t give that party— vou wish it!” “Why not?" he asked amazed; he never liked to bear that anything he wished could not be done. Theld up the sheets I had been working at. “Here is the answer,” I said. “There are too many.” “Oh, nonsense, my dear fellow. You forget it is ahuge garden.” I shook my head. “The other is huger. Iam not half through yet aad they total up already over five thousand !"* And so that party never came « —_t *LCTFE: Ideas for Christmas “VES, DO YOU SEND ME A BOOK."—Dorothy Wordsworth to Coleridge. CHATEAUX OF TOURAINE. Tho season's RACKETTY-PACKETTY HOUSE. Tho se art book —a superb gift for travelers or art | ond book of fairy stories by Frances Hod; lovers. Its beauty, artistic value, and scholarly | Burnett. Clever and charmin lustrated in feng make ite giving a pliment | full color by Harrison Cs 0 cents, lustrated in color by Jules Guerin. $6 *t, DON-A-DREAMS. A novel by Iarvey J. postage 21 cents ike “ Sentimental Tommy ™ ait better. $1.00, ty lapensable to a corr e and character. By Frederick | ‘Trevor Hill. Ulustrated. $2 Licenta, | ter THE THUMB-NAIL SERIES solves the prov- | UNCLE WILLIAM _Jennette Lee | Jom of a slight remembrance, Beaatiful 1.0 ova Scotia fishe classics ( than thirty in all) in embossed | charneter. A book that inakes ono the better leather bindings. ‘The most exquisitelittle books for the reading. $1. z etc. | THE LADY OF THE DECORATION. As sweet inve 2 ta Coun: | q love story as any reader could wish for, the a erenataeg anal "characte | seete laid tn Japate Ach a box. Send for complete list. A BOOK OF MUSIC. Richart Watson SEEING FRANCE WITH UNCLE JOHN, | 2¢® volume of poems relating to musi It y Ch 1 Postage 4 cents i | BURNETT'S (MRS.) BOOKS OF FAIRY a new * STORIES, See under Queen Bell” and ly illastrated. " “ Racketty-Packetty House.” 1 HOW TO STUDY PICTURES. Tho most | Color. 60 cents cach. satisfying, comprehensive, suggestive work of | THE CRIMSON SWEATER. A new popular its kind. "The friend fond of pictures will find | athletic story by Ralph Henry Barbour, au! ft an invaluable companion. By Charles H. or the Ho Caf. “Folly itustrated. "$2 wet, postage 19 fora boy. Illustrated $1. ern BIBI 1» The Kin, ITALIAN VILLAS. Faith Wharton's text | 3a pes Epos Saemeiedshi with superb pletures in color by Maxtield Par: | an ealogies, ete., omitted. - leauth. Fah: “duat the gift for a person fond of a fully Uhustrated.” 61.20 ganien, $8 net, postage 21 cent | BOYS’ LIFE OF LIN ralen Nise AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANDREW D.| based upon May and Nedinve caotead nea WHITE. One of the world's great biographies | perfect gift for a you Sale of vroportion of fvivide | $1.50, ness. Mlastrated. | $7.50 net, postage Scents. | PINKEY PER: QUEEN SILVER-BELL. By Frances Hndason | Stee and sree y Pes Burnett. A unique and charming book of fairy | kina.” by Hammond. U.S. A. stories for children. Iilustrated in full color by | You make no mistake in choosing these for a Harrison Cady. 60 conta, Woy. Mastrated. $1.50 cach with new chapter arrangements, All the above are sold at all boeKstores and are published by THE CENTURY CO., UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK Sol LS lo LS Lh hE Quickly- Smoothly To California California has the same beauty no matter what season you go there, but The Overland Limited is the feature train of the west. Its equipment was especially designed, and affords the traveller every convenience and every luxury—Electric lights in each berth—A first-class roll- ing hotel from end to end. This beautiful train is a daily—not_4 weekly or semi-weekly. It leaves Chicago Every Day, following the wonderful Union Pacific—Southern Pacific For illustrated California booklet, rates, hotel informa- tion, etc., address B. L. LOMAX, G.P. A. Omaha, Neb. OLD CROW RYE sitar WHISKEY sore sorters. new vork comicbooks.com