Life, 1907-02-14 · page 23 of 28
Life — February 14, 1907 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes period advertisements with three brief satirical anecdotes typical of *Life* magazine's humor format. **The anecdotes mock social pretension and naiveté:** 1. **"Misunderstood"**: A bishop is mistaken for a laborer because he smokes cigars—the joke being the laboring man assumes clergy don't smoke, revealing class assumptions about respectability. 2. **"Wedding usher exchange"**: A candidate (likely political) crashes a wedding by claiming to be "the defeated candidate," gaining admission through absurd logic—satirizing how people exploit social events. 3. **"Edison's gate"**: Thomas Edison deliberately leaves his gate broken so visitors must pump water into his tank as they enter—a humorous example of using guests' labor for practical purposes. **Advertisements** include Spencerian pens, Underberg Bitters (marketed as tonic), and Cook's Champagne—typical early 1900s product placements. The humor relies on wordplay, unexpected twists, and gentle mockery of human behavior rather than political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SPENCERIAN SreeL PENS ot SPENCERIAN PEN CO. - Sample card} containing 12 pens, differ- ent patterns, sent to any address upon receipt of six cents in postage. 349 Broadway, NEW YORK Bitters The Famous Tonic and Cordial, On Sale everywhere, LUYTIES BROTHERs, General Agents, New York, Misunderstood R. PARKHURST told the other day a story about a famous bishop. “The bishop,” he said, “likes a good cigar, and ling to Albany in the smoking-car. ring man took the seat beside him, eed his clerical garb, got a light from him, and tled back for a comfortable smoke: Parson, sir?” “The bishop hesitated. Then he answered Twas once.’ “«\h. said the laboring man, ‘drink, I sup- Washington Star. Is always good whiskey RE yourelated tothe bride or groom-elect ?” nquired the busy usher “Then what interest have you in the cere- mony?” “I'm the defe: nal. ed candidate.” —Courier-Jour- LO (chatting with small stranger): Your teach- er is a charming young lady. I suppose you love her very much? Buty: Steady, steady! D’ you think I am going to tell you all about my love affairs ?—Ally Sloper's Haij-Holiday. Using His Friends HEN Thomas A. Edison was living in Men- lo Park, a visitor from New York said to him one day: “By the way, your front gate needs repairing. It was all I could do to get it open. You ought to have it trimmed, or greased, or something.” Mr, Edison laughed “Oh, no,” he said. “Oh, no.” “Why not?” asked the visitor. “Because,” was the reply, “every one who comes through that gate pumps two buckets of water into the tank on the roof.”—Washington Star. Connoisseurs say: “Not only the best American —s —but the best Champagne.” champagne \W \ LIFE’S PRINTS Copy, 104, by Lara Peeuionive Comrany TROUBLE WITH THE SPARKER Alter W. Baljour Ker Photogravure in Sepia, 20 by 15 in. $1.00 LIFE PUBLISHING CO.,17W.31stSt.,. NEW YORK comicbooks.com