Life, 1908-06-25 · page 13 of 21
Life — June 25, 1908 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This "Who's What" section profiles notable figures. The page includes biographical sketches of **Shaw, Bernard** (Irish writer), **Edison, Thomas** (lighting innovator), and **Beveridge, Albert J.** (magazine writer and Senator). The main illustration—titled "Even Unto Death: Fancy Portrait of an American Financier"—depicts a skeleton surrounded by wealth (money, bonds, valuables). This is memento mori satire: a commentary on how wealthy financiers accumulate riches but ultimately die and lose everything. The skeleton emphasizes that material wealth cannot protect against mortality—a common satirical theme critiquing Gilded Age obsession with money. Handwritten annotations ("The last Jew") appear to be later additions unrelated to the original publication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Celtic gentleman who attained prominence as a writer of language arranged for the stage. Was born in Ireland, raised in England and copyrighted in America. He took up, in turn, every cherished institution, and having clubbed it into insensibility was applauded until he ran out of material. Now he is waiting for more cherished institutions to grow. His favorite flower is the nettle. Principal occupation, praising himself and pooh-poohing Shakespeare. Motto, “The Path of Glory Leads but to the Grave.” Ad- dress the Suburbs of Westminster Abbey. (Use the knocker.) Expensive T' E multimillionaire threw up his hands in despair. Sverything,” he protested, ‘‘is so high, these days! The endowment of a uni- versity of the first class hardly suffices to purchase me a dozen kind words. 1 doubt if ever, in all the history of the world, a comfortable living cost so much as now.” -LIFE: Who's What In and Out of America dison, Thomas.—A celebrated lighting change artist with a shocking past, a vibrating present and a (let us hope) storage battery future. This young man has made it possible for us to elude our relatives and to listen to the music of total strangers. He is not the only and original wirepuller, but by means of wires he has made hot and reading in bed a continuous pos He is the author of the most brilliant works of the age, and has shed more light on dark subjects than any other of his contempora- ries. His favorite fruit is currents, his favor- ite recreation is smoking Christian Science cigars and his favorite motto is, “ Let There Be Light. And There Was.” In this he only has had one competitor. Address, any switchboard. EVEN UNTO DEATH FANCY PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN FINANCIER Beveritee Albert J.—A magazine writer, war correspondent, all-around prophet, and incidentally Senator from In- diana. This young Bah by inclination and is the only living éompetitor of the Teddybea with other people’s affairs. ‘The only person in the country smarter than himself is the New York District Attorney. As a torian he never waits for events to happen, but writes them beforehand himself, thus avoiding the annoyance of confining one- self to facts. His principal occupation is doing all things for all men. Author of “Russia as It Isn't,” “How to Succeed by Talking.” He is also at present rewriting the Constitution of the United States Favorite flower, narcissus. Deluded & RIDGET, wasn’t that policeman ma- king love to you in the kitchen, last night?” “He thot he was, mum.” Te last Jew comicbooks.com