Life, 1907-08-01 · page 42 of 48
Life — August 1, 1907 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertisements** interspersed with **humorous short pieces** typical of Life magazine's satirical approach. The main content includes: **"Canned Poesy"** — a satirical poem mocking how poets use rhyming dictionaries to solve creative problems mechanically. The joke: a writer buys a rhyming lexicon to avoid genuine composition, finding absurd words like "obambilate" that technically rhyme but are nonsensical. **"One of Them"** — a darkly comic dialogue where a visitor tours an asylum and learns the attendant's "life-work" is compiling an index to Webster's Dictionary—implying the attendant himself may be institutionalized, making the joke about who truly belongs in the asylum. **"A Delicate Job"** — a brief joke about a doctor advising a husband on his wife's increasing deafness, with the husband requesting the doctor deliver the bad news himself. The advertisements (Whiting Papers, French's tobacco, Napp-Felt hats, Styler's candies, Calox tooth powder) show early 20th-century product marketing targeting middle-class consumers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CIFE Whiting Papers Are the Standard Fine Writing Papers for Social C6rre- spondence, the Club, the Boudoir, the Den, the Office, the Hotel and general business Use, They set the fashion and have led the trade for forty years. Make forty tons a day of Standard Fine Writ- ing Papers, including the famous French Chambray French Organdie, Organdie Glacé and other specialties in Woven Linen and nd Papers. Awarded the Grand Prize at the last Paris World's Exposition. The only first prize ever given American papers. Sold by leading stationers everywhere. Whiting Paper Company 148-150-152 Duane Street NEW YORK PHILADELPHIA CHICAGO Mills at Holyoke, Mass. French’s Mixture ‘The Aristocrat of Smoting Tobacco It pleases instantly and sotisfes coo, Rsly. Only the chokcest grades of Y meltew North Carcflaa Red to Smoker Send roe. (stlver stamps) for large sample pouch and booklet YRENCH TOBACCO COMPANY Dept. W, Btatessitl, 8 Canned Poesy P into a bookshop and bought “The Rhymer’s Lexi me rhymy lit'rature was what I'd long desired, | L opened up its ef asa Mexican ind “glove” and other rh always thinks he has t randed on the island * Ecu J rescue m je preserver labeled " diplogeni thing like a slamper, oaly smaller, like a plife) A passing By throwing | ant if I should b | (That's sor Suppose I should be troubled for a rhyme to “apoplectical,”" A look within the book'll make my worry disappear By giving me a pretty word like“ bt the word is used a dozen times a year. in for a bard to go and jubilate? he may better put on thought It’s great to know he has the little-giant word “obaubilate,” And obviates the fearsomencss of ever being caught But why shoukl I continue to elucidate or tabify? ‘The thymer’s brilliant lexicon has no such word as can’t | A tittle bit of skill in knowing what to dissylabify Would teach 9 proper way to chant . in New York Evening Mail RILINER SAUPRERUSSEN: Natural, addulous, alkaline water from Inlin, Bohemia, for stomach affections, uric acid, diabetes. Free booklet. Luytiee Brothers, Ageats, 8. Ys One of Them FOREIGN tourist who had received per- mission to visit one of the large asylums for the insane in this country was surprised at the neatness, quictude and good order that prevailed within the walls of the institution. He asked if it was always like that, and the polite attendant who was showing him through the buildings said it was. “We have what we call our violent wards, of course, but I presume you would not care to see those.” “T think not.” “Iris just aswell, perhaps. They are rather noisy, although, of course, we exercise the same care in providing for the welfare of the inmates that you sce in this part of the institution. We also have a section where we keep the ‘incurables.’” “These inmates, then, are considered curable.” “Their cases are at least hopeful.” “Tam greatly intereste id the visitor, * I will not take up any more of your time. Y j have other duties to attend to, have you not “Yes, sir. ‘This is merely one of my recreations. jin one of the rooms in the main building I am engaged, during most of the time, in pursuing what may be called my life-wor “Your life-work? May I ask what that is | “Hadn't you heard?” said the attendant, in a tone of astonishment. to Webster’s Dictionary.” A Delicate Job pocror : The increasing deafness of your wife is merely an indication of advancing years, and you can tell her that. Huspanp: Hum! Would you mind telling her that yourself, doctor?—Wiener Salonwitzblatt Scholarship ENIAL CLERGYMAN (visiting the village school): Well, my littleman, what do you do in school all day? Tur Most Promisinc Puri: I wait till it’s time to get out, sir—Harper’s Weekly. "—Youth's Companion. The first Derby made in America was a C. & K. Hats for Men NAPP-FELT soft hats are de- lightfully mellow in texture, suffi- ciently light in weight aud surprisingly durable in quality. Knapp-Felt De Luxe hats, soft or stiff, are Six Dollars—Knapp-Felts are Four Dollars, everywhere. Write for “The Hatman™ Tue CroruT & KNAPP Co. “Tam compiling an index | Broadway, at 13th Street New York Unsurpassed CANDIES For Your FAMILY or FRIENDS In the Country CALL-MALL or PHONE YOUR ORDERS WE WILL ALSO PROMPTLY Ship by MAIL or EXPRESS if you desire HOW ABOUT YOUR VACATION? YOU KNOW WHAT EEEAGIRE ADOK OF SALES AGENTS EVER: YWHERE 5 The OXYGEN Tooth Powder Gleam aid aohtens the teth and partes the math ofa @ruggtste es conte Sats and bootie on request ‘Enaranterd pure wader Feed and Drage dct McKESSON & RUBBING, 91-97 Felton Street, New Yory HG m toatel summ “De how o his comicbooks.com