Life, 1908-07-02 · page 11 of 40
Life — July 2, 1908 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **permanent weather bulletin** satirizing an extreme heat wave. The cartoon depicts workers at what appears to be a fire department or industrial facility suffering from "continued drought" and "hot wave" conditions, with "torrid winds" and "blistering" heat. The joke plays on the contrast between expectations and reality: one figure asks another if he "prayed for a hot summer," and the response is that while they hoped heat would help business, they didn't anticipate such extreme conditions. The caption mentions measuring someone "for one of our eternal fleece-lined xxxxx summers"—likely referring to winter underwear, sarcastically suggesting people will need heavy clothing even in summer. The satire critiques unbearable urban heat conditions during what was apparently a notable heat wave.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
soe PERMANENT WEAT ©R BULLETIN CONTINUED DROUTH-7 HOT W/ TORRID -WINDS - € “WELL, WELL! THIS LOOKS LIKE THE ICEMAN. “YES, MEASURE MR, SHORTWEIGHT FOR ONE OF OUR ETERNAL FLEECE-LINED XXXX SUMME Fourth of July Assortment Furnished by A. Younge Rufian, Care- fully Selected for Any American City or Village ], “THE RUNAWAY HORSE.” Good * local piece, can be used anywhere. Smash up at the end very striking. 2. “The Lost Finger.” Very humorous. Makes a loud, screeching noise. 3. "The Fire Department.” Highly recommended. An engine goes out, scat- “BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP BUst"”—— tering sparks, then a hook and ladder, and finally a hose cart. Mr. Ruffian himseif says: “'I like this piece better than any other in my assortment.” 4. “The Fire Department” being out, the performance ends with the most beautiful piece of all, “The Barn.” The blaze illu- mines the whole sky and causes intense ex- citement. References: Any police station or insur- ance company in the nation. AND YOU PRAYED FOR A HOT SUMMER, EI?” Foresight AILOR (to Tommy's mother, who is or- dering her boy's suit): Do you wish the shoulders padded? Tosmy: Ma, ma, have him pad the seat of the pants! HE moral of Mrs. Wharton’s art story in the June Scribner's tends a little too much to seem to be that in art who has not everything has nothing. comicbooks.com -