Life, 1908-04-02 · page 36 of 44
Life — April 2, 1908 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines satirical poetry and humorous anecdotes with period advertising. **"Courting an Authoress"** satirizes romantic pursuit of female writers. The poem's joke: a suitor repeatedly loses his beloved's romantic attention when she becomes distracted by literary inspiration ("struck a thought with copy in it"). The satire targets both the absent-minded artistic temperament and the notion that creative ambition supersedes romantic engagement—a pointed commentary on women's intellectual pursuits in an era when such priorities were considered eccentric. **The anecdotes** mock human behavior: incompetent office-seekers, tedious dinner companions, and tax evasion claims—generic social satire about professional mediocrity and dishonesty. **The advertisements** promote luxury rail travel (20th Century Limited, Union Pacific) and whiskey, reflecting early-20th-century consumer culture aimed at affluent readers. The page reflects *Life* magazine's dual purpose: sophisticated satire for educated audiences combined with upscale commercial messaging.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OUR FOOLISHs (NTEMPORARY COURTING AN AUTHORESS 1 worship at a cultured shrine, My Jove has literary views, And only such regard is mine As is left over from the Muse; For oft my patience she'll abuse, And check my speech ere I begin it, Pleading her rudeness to excuse— She's struck a thought with copy in it. At times, amid some sylvan scene, Her gaze with favor on me glows; Then suddenly will supervene ‘That strange and absent-minded pose. The symptoms I can diagnose ‘That mark the psychologic minute— ‘The rapt, seraphic look that shows She's struck a thought with copy in it. Discomfiting it is to find, When I have called into her eyes A light quite personal and kind, That swiftly her attention dies— 1 turn to see if there arise Some rival song of lark or linnet, + But ata glance I recognize She's struck a thought with copy in it. Uesvor Prince, when you pleadingly propose For her consent and wait to win it, May her expression not disclose ‘She’s struck a thought with copy in it! —Bookman. ‘Tur Sovrn ror Hosrrrautty: The Manor, Asheville, North Carolina, is the Lest inn South.— Booklet, WHAT WILL HE DO WITH IT? Anent the swarm of incompetents who aspire to office, John Temple Graves tells this story: While traveling one time he noticed a little yellow cur which was pursuing the train with loud barks and every sign of displeasure. An old farmer just in front of Mr. Graves was greatly amused at the sight, and, turning around, he said: “I wonder what he'd do with it if he caught it?"—Lippincott's Magazine. AN AMUSING story is told at one of the Philadelphia clubs. It seems that an older member thereof, a clever chap, was being frightfully bored by his vis-a-vis at table in the café one night, the latter individual being as dull as the former was bright. ‘The talk was fast becoming unendurable, when the first named member chanced to observe a man at the other end of the dining room yawning in a manner that threatened to dis. locate his jaws. “Look!” exclaimed the first member, in desperation, “we are overheard !""—Harper's Weekly MORE INTERESTING SUBJECT “How is your promotion scheme coming on?”” “Rather slow.” “But I thought you were to meet two capitalists last night ?"" “I did, but they had hardly got together before they dis- covered that each had a baby just learning to talk, and you can imagine how much of a chance I bad to get a word in."— Southwestern's Book. COMPARATIVE VERACITY OF THE SEXES Struta: A lawyer says that women are less truthful under oath than men. Betta: Wonder if he ever saw a bunch of men swearing off taxes?—New York Sun. PASS IT UNDER ‘The tunnels under New York have been completed, and in a short time travellers will enjoy the economical advantage of passing under that city instead of through it—Jndianapelis News, GREAT BEAR SPRING WATER “Its purity bas made it famous.” “THE BEST IN THE HOUSE” (jusrich Club Whiske The Whiskey without a peer Alfred E, Norris & Co., Proprietors, Philadelphia Zs har TN h my yer eee) & Salt Lake and the ‘Sierra Nevadas | That’s the most inter- esting way to go to @ hg | ) exceptional train run- ning solid, Chicago to San Francisco, daily via Union Pacific All the comforts and luxuries of best hotels. For tickets, reservations, ctc., ask E.L. LOMAX, G. P. A. Omaba gear | aT ers ee LEAVE ARRIVE NewYork 20th CENTURY LIMITED Chicago 3.00 P. M. FASTEST LONG DISTANCE TRAIN IN THE WORLD 8.30 A. M. Between it en ‘on the | method cents, gi quarter. stations. and the value of ing to hi office wi me all t To whic railroad pay for | cent of ductor.” oul the for the r when th vention ville wo came tir will ente man wil Prat natior seeing another effect th nians. Avenue “Ast board t Bangor slanced advertis “Att Suprem with lar ht the Cal more th Atl As soon rim puppies “Ina dogs cl wabbl: in the Puppies who city of glance comicbooks.com