Life, 1908-09-17 · page 20 of 24
Life — September 17, 1908 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical humor typical of early 20th-century Life magazine alongside period advertisements. **"The Origin of Woman"** presents a Hindu creation myth presented as pseudo-intellectual satire—mocking how women were romantically idealized yet reduced to stereotypical traits (fickleness, weakness, beauty). The joke assumes readers will find this "explanation" amusingly absurd. **"Dissembling"** satirizes workplace hypocrisy: an editor tells his assistant to dismiss an artist's work as "making him sick," but the assistant honestly reports the criticism as a polite rejection. The humor lies in contrasting brutal honesty with social politeness. **"As His Neighbors See Him"** offers cynical observations about how people judge their peers—whatever one does, critics find fault. It's social commentary on human nature's negativity bias. The remaining anecdotes follow similar patterns of ironic, brief humor centered on dishonesty, misunderstandings, or human contradictions. The advertisements (Crane's stationery, hair restorer, toilet powder) represent period product endorsements using decorative typography.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE ORIGIN OF WOMAN According to a Hindoo legend, this is the proper origin of women: Twashtri, the god Vulcan of the Hindoo mythology, created the world, but on mencing to create woman, he discovered that for man he had exhausted all his creative materials, and ot one solid element had been left. This, of arse, greatly perplexed Twashtri, and caused him to fall into a profound meditation, When he arose from it he proceeded as follows, He took: The roundness of the moon. The undulating curve of the serpent ¢ graceful twist of the creeping plant. ¢ light shivering of the grassblade and the slen- he velvet of the flowers lightness of the feather. The gentle of the doe frolicsomeness of the dancing sunbeam. tears of the cloud. e inconsistency of the wind. idity of the hare ty of the peacock i chill of the snow © cackling of 1 The cooing of the Al these he mixed together and formed a womay. And he presented her to the man.—Philippin Gossip. parrot, rile dove. Asnevitte, N. C.: The four-season resort of the South. Tie Maxox, the English-like Inn of Asheville. DISSEMBLING Orrice Boy: “The editor is much obliged to you for allowing him to see your drawings, but much regrets he is unable to use them.” Fair Artist (eagerly) “Did he say that?" Orrice Boy (truthfully): "Well, not exactly. He just said, ‘Take ‘em away, Joe; they make me sick.” "Harper's Weekly ANOTHER LINCOLN STORY In 1834 some gentlemen who had just returned from a trip through the West came to Washington and went to call on Lincoln. During their visit one of the men spoke of a body of water in Nebraska which bore an Indian name. “T cannot recall the name now,” he sai¢ vexed tone, “but it signified ‘weeping water. President Lincoln instantly responded, “.\s * laugh: ing water,’ according to Longfellow, is ‘M : this evidently should be ‘ Minneboohoo.’ leans Picayune. AS HIS NEIGHBORS SEE HIM If he is poor he is a bad manager. If he is rich, he is dishonest. If he needs credit, he can’t get it. If he is pros- perous, every one wants to do him a favor. If he’s in politics, it’s for pie. If he is out of politics, you can’t place him, and he's no good for his country. If he doesn’t give to charity, he's a stingy cuss, If he does, it's for show If he is actively religious, he is a hypocrite. If he takes no interest in religion, he's a hardened sinner. If he shows affection, he's a soft specimen, If he secms to care for no one, he is cold-blooded. If he dies young, there was a great future ahead of him. If he lives to an old age, he has missed his calling —Christian Guardian. NOT A KISS “I heard him behind the door pleading for just one. They must be engaged.” “Naw, they're married. It was a dollar he was pleading for."—Washington Herald. GREAT BEAR SPRING WATER “Its purity has made it famous.” OR five generations the Cranes or Dat- ton have made the best writing papers. The styles have changed with changing seasons, but the quality, never. The secret of the excellence of the Crane papers is the painstaking care exercised in their manufacture. The purest water in the world is used, the most skilled and careful workmen obtainable are employed and the highest degree of cleanli- ness is maintained. Foremost in popularity among the Crane Writing Papers.is Crane’s Linen Lawn, a paper well deserving of the position it has attained on account of its splendid quality, perfect finish and inim- itable style. Crane's Writing Papers andCards may be had in many sizes, colors and finishes (including papers and cards with mourning borders) at all stores where the better sort of stationery is sold. ORE Highland Linen Paper has | been soldthanof any otherwriting paper. Seven attractive shades, all the correct sizes of sheets and envelopes, and a surface that is a luxury to write upon, together with its popular price, are some of the qualifications that have made it so much in demand. 9 Crane's (@allin aras HE correct use of a personal card avails nothing if the card j itself is not correct. Crane's Calling Cards have been used so long by people who know, that it would have been discovered long ago if they were not correct. EATON, CRANE & PIKE COMPANY, Pittsfield, Mass. MENNEN’S BORATED TALCUM f-) TOILET “| POWDER for After Shaving. Inalst that your barber uses Mensen's TalctVowict ater be shaves youu (te 2 cont pers Thin Removes afl inal Bold Inalied for 38 cents.” Sample GERHARD MENNEN CO., Newark, N. 3. Perfectly eturaiy seed page beak toes Sure Tare. Gerveise Gradua, Ca AG 1565 R Michigan Aveses, Chicago, Tl. trouble tests s matics. clinch Senc constr prices. comicbooks.com