Life — December 5, 1907 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

minded and overalert have been syn- chronously feeding on quick-lunches and Associated Press reports on the retiring habits of bears, we have employed our odd quarters-of-an-hour, while waiting in line with other depositors, by perusing our vest-pocket edition of ‘Thucydides, and thumbing our thumb-nail copy of Chateau- briand. From Thucydides (marked at the, favorite passages of our author-President and valued only a little less than our bank-book, in our other waistcoat pocket) we drew inspiration and hope, together with certain moral collateral for which the reader is respectfully referred to the President’s speeches. It was, at any rate, more than we drew from the bank; but we put our trust in Presidents, and are confident that the crisis will pass, thanks to a sound constitution inherited from our forefathers. From Chateaubriand we drew more than we had reason to expect. You remem- ber, of course, your ‘“Atala”—that is to say, Chateaubriand’s. Who does not? But do you recall, in the course of his moving word picture of Wild Nature on the Mississippi, that pertinent and imper- ishable paragraph, in which we hear the rustle of the magnolia and the palm, the wind in the branches of the tulip-tree and the hollyhock, and perceive—as Chateau- briand himself did—the grottoes, arches, porticoes, of nature’s sylvan architecture in Louisiana? Ah! we thought you did not. Attend, therefore, while, with prac- ticed shears, we set before you one signif- icant sentence: A multitude of animals, placed in these tetreats by the hand of the Creator, spread about life and enchantment: from the ex- tremities of the avenues may be seen bears, intoxicated with the grape, staggering upon the branches of the elm-trees. * * * W' IAT Mr. Roosevelt—an authority on the behavior of bears—would say to this, we do not profess to know, a!though a sympathetic scrutiny of his actions and utterances enables us in a measure—like Dr. Shaw—to get a “beat,” so to speak, in advance of the routine forms of publicity. Moreover, we are all but inspired to Suggest that his sportsmanlike pursuit of certain undesirable and predatory beasts proceeds less from the rancher’s vulpine greed for the scalps of wolves than the interior and ulterior motive of writing about it. The ruling passion is not gore, but glory. To the trowvere the song is greater than the exploit which suggested it. Hence we hasten to disavow our sympathy with a timely poetaster who sings, after the manner of Hood: Continued on page 663 GREAT BEAR SPRING WATER Its purity has made it famous,” FRANCE ENGLAND <> 5S ITaLy AMERICA : tenance Cost by Equipping &% * with Michelins, the Tire Standard of the World Whether your car is a low-priced run- about or the most expensive touring car, it pays to equip it with the best tire you can obtain. Good tires are necessarily a shade more expensive than those of indifferent quality—but the additional expendi- ture is more than warranted by the additional value you receive. MICHELIN Tires are unquestionably the best in the world. MICHELINS always have and always will command a higher figure than tires of inferior grade—because the greater value is there. But the purchase of MICHELIN Tires is no longer an overtax on your re- sources. Import duty and hea transportation charges have been re- moved from their cost by the establishment of our new American factory. It pays to equip with MICHELINS to-day. MICHELIN ires give you greater wearing quality, longer service and better satisfaction than any other tires in existence. The extraordinary endurance of MICHELIN Tires has been proven in every important international race since motor-car racing began. The winning cars of these world’s events have _alwa been equipped with MICHELIN Tires—unquestionable evidence of MICHELIN superiority. In purchasing MICHELINS you have the assurance of the best and most economical tire equipment that money can buy. Specify MICHELINS on your new car. You can have them if you INSIST At Importer’s Salon, Boston and Chicago shows MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY MILLTOWN, N. J. Around Porto Rico The special tours of The New York & Porto Rico Steamship Co. occupy three weeks, and are ideal yachting excursions on summer seas. steamers have every convenience, with only outside staterooms. They circle the entire island and stop at many interesting and historic localities. The ship is the tourist's hotel during the entire trip, so that the labor and inconvenience of land travel is avoided. The special tourist rate for this cruise is $140, which includes every expense. Write for illustrated booklet. THE NEW YORK & PORTO RICO STEAMSHIP CO. 12 Broadway, New York, or Raymond & Whitcomb Co., New York, and all Principal Cities DON'T BE INSULTED That's what the dealer does who, when you ask for a particular article, offers you a substitute. He may claim it is cheaper and him why—if you have time; otherwise, why not GET WHAT YOU ASK FOR comicbooks.com