Life, 1908-08-06 · page 47 of 54
Life — August 6, 1908 — page 47: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a serialized **domestic drama story** (left column) alongside period **advertisements** (right side). ## The Story The narrative depicts a confrontation between Mr. Fernlet and a young man (Julius Stone) found alone with Fernlet's daughter Estelle. The father initially assumes impropriety, but Estelle defends her choice: she claims to have independently investigated Stone's character and "looked him up" over three days, concluding he'd make a good husband. She asserts her right to autonomy against her parents' control. ## Historical Context This reflects **early 20th-century tensions** over parental authority versus daughters' independence. Estelle's behavior—investigating a suitor herself rather than relying on parental judgment—was progressive for the era, though her parents initially see it as scandalous. ## The Advertisements The page also features ads for **Philip Morris cigarettes** and **Pennsylvania Clincher tires**—standard period marketing with no satirical intent visible here. The story itself appears to be *Life* magazine's serialized fiction, not political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Both parents tiptoed out into the hall. They slipped noise- Iess!y down the carpeted stairs. In the gloom of the lower ‘dor, before the door leading into the back parlor, they stopped, holding each others hands, and listened. nce within—a deathly, uncanny, businesslike silence. ail at once Mr. Fernlet pressed his wife's hand with a fierce stip. Yes, it was unmistakable. There was no doubt about that sounl. It was a chirp, distinct, soulful, complete. 1h was followed by another—and another. “Estelle!” Liefore his wife could restrain him Mr. Fernlet’s voice chipped out, sharp and clear. There was a hurried movement w the door was thrown open and Estelle stood before them, her face fiushed and, it must be confesses, her hair not in that beautiful order that it had been early in the evening ind Mrs, Fernlet advanced into the room. Mr. Fern- let, hly aroused, his parental feeling stirred to the depths, paused in front of Mr. Julius Stone, who had partly arisen, and stood looking him in the eye He was not a bad looking young fellow. At any rate there was no fear manifested in his attitude. “Young man,’ said Fernlet, “what are you doing here? "’ “I'm making love to your daughter. PHILIP —— “By what right?’ Estelle came forward between the two. ORIGINAL LONDON "Because I wanted him to,” she replied. “Papa. I’ ashamed of you.”* | CIGARETTES “Do you think it’s right for this young man to come here | and deliberately try to get you away from us without as much | have ranked first among as asking by your leave? Pe Estelle's eyes blazed again. | the critical for over “Yes, I do,” she replied. “TI think it's perfectly right half a century. under the circumstances. You've kept me in all you could. anyway, until I just couldn't stand it any longer. It's your CAMBRIDGE fault. You haven't treated me right and I’m going to marry ia boxes of ten Mr. Stone. “ Haven't we always been goo'l to you? "” ‘o. You wanted to keep me all to yourselves—and it isn't right. I couldn't help it. Mr. Stone has been good to me. and, and—"" She put her hand out. Julius grabbed it fiercely. your car displays far greater “We love each other,”” she said simply. “You shall, dear, you shall,"* sobbed her mother, pressing power and eagerness than when forward and throwing her arms about her neck. “I know just handicapped by the drag of flat w you feel. Only—" She turned and looked at her fon-in-law critic road contacts. It responds more Are you good enough for her?" she asked. : + Xie fo bot enous for easily, quickly and surely to the Mr. Fernlet's face relaxed. It was a hard blow, but there ° steering wheel. Moreover, the was nothing to do but make the best of it. “How do I know," he asked, “whether you are a fit com- rubber and fabnc is spared the Panion for my girl? I know nothing about you."* ruinous mangling to which soft “But I do, papa.'? It was the voice of Estelle. “She knows,”” replied Julius. “She's been looking me up." tires are subjected as well as the “What do you mean?" mer 4 Estelle spoke again. “While you thought I was taking liability to rim-cut. You can safe- my music lessons for the past three days,"" she said, “I've ly inflate your tires to the highest been looking up Mr. Stone. I found out all about his busi- : : ness, and as much as I could about his habits, and after the available pressure if they are most careful consideration I came to the conclusion that he nake a splendid husband.”* “Yes, she did,”’ replied Julius. “I had to run the gauntlet, CLINCHER Tecan tell you."” Her father, in his voice a new note of contrition, went over and put his arms around her. a 7 ‘a “That should have been my duty,” he said. “Estelle ara Our new book — “*Factory- dear, why did you not come to me?’ ‘ Facts”’ tells how we make “Because I saw that you were afraid to trust me, and why good tires and how tires must should I trust you? Besides—"" she smiled almost sadly, S 2 be made to be as good as ours ade me angry,’? she said, “to think that you had never “ & = given me an opportunity to see any young men, and it was so si 3 PENNSYLVANIA RUBBER CO. hard to know how to manage one—all at once.”’ JEANNETTE, PA, “Well.” said Julius, smilingly, “ you succeeded, all right.” : : REL, IMS Mr. Fernlet, his voice tremulous, drew them together and FS Detroat: put their hands in each other's. Then he turned to his wife. Ses Eeacmcns 312 Mises Se wy “she seems to have gotten the right : ieago: 1241 Michigan Ave. man, But if she has, I guess it's more good luck on our part = ion eon es See au Neath Se. than good management. comicbooks.com