Life, 1908-12-24 · page 16 of 20
Life — December 24, 1908 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Life magazine contains several brief satirical jokes and advertisements, typical of the publication's humor format. **The cartoons/jokes:** 1. **"The Very First One"** mocks museum curators' tendency to inflate historical significance—a feather pillow is presented as "Washington's original headquarters," a nonsensical claim that plays on the absurdity of relic veneration. 2. **"The Ingredients"** satirizes formulaic Broadway drama, reducing "first-class society" plays to mere superficial elements: acts, expensive gowns, and witty one-liners. 3. **"Not So Bad"** uses dialect humor (common in the era) to depict poor Southern whites defending their dignity. A destitute farmer counters Northern condescension by claiming he owns his shabby house, inverting expectations about poverty and property ownership. 4. **"The Last Straw"** is a brief marital joke about couples growing to resemble each other—Kate refuses this inevitability by rejecting marriage. The page also advertises Life's 1909 calendar and a Smith-Premier typewriter. These represent typical turn-of-century Life content: lightweight humor mixed with advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE VERY FIRST ONE The visitors in the historical museum gazed curiously at a small feather pillow which nestled in a glass case. “I don't see anything unusual about that pil- low,"’ remarked one of the visitors, turning to the guide. “It’s a very valuable pillow,’ replied the guide. “That is Washington's original bead- quarters.""—Lippincott’s. THE INGREDIENTS “What constitutes a first-class society drama?" “Three acts, six gowns and nine epigrams.""— Washington Hera THESE NARKOW BRIDGES ’R A DISHGRASHE 7’ SHIVVLESHASHUN NOTSOBAD * Two Northern business men, passing through a barren region of the South, paused one day before a hopeless, tumble-down habitation, one of them exclaiming: “ Poor creatures! How do they ever make a living from such land!” At this the sagging door of the hut slowly opened, a tall, lanky, poor white appearing, who drawled out to them: “Looky here, strangers, I ain't so durned poor ez you think I am. I don’t this yere land; I jest own the housi per’s Magazine, AN EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENT From a serious-minded jester the editor re- ceived this note, together with a consignment of humor that was heavy enough to go by freight: Dear Sir: I read all these jokes to my wife, and she laughed heartily. Now, I have it on good authority that when a man's wife will laugh at his jokes they are bound to be very good—or she is. Yours, ete. The editor slipped them into the return en- velope with the letter, after writing on the mar- gin, “ She is.”"—Lippincott’s. THE LAST STRAW Antuur: They say, dear, that people who live together get to look alike. Kate: Then you must consider my refusal as final.—The Christian Regi sly in the United St ‘dditional postage ‘current copies, 1 s accompanied by stamped and addressed ex nom return of unsolicited contributions. reat Britain, The International News Company, Breams “Improvement is the order of the age.” This is not only the motto, it is also the record’ of NewModel No10 Visible Writing Send for Information ier Typewriter Co.tine) The Smith, recuse, RY. USA a, AGENTS. Brentano's, oveniry Street, Leicester Square, W, London ; 9, Mayence, Germany. The text and illustrations in Lave are copyrighted, and are not to be reproduced without special sermission obtained in advan. Prompt notification should be sent by subscribers of any change of address, What Better Gift Than One of Life’s Calendars Lifes Calendar’ 1909 The best illustrative artists in the world draw for LIFE, They supply the material for LIFE’S endar, The issue for 1909 is fully the artistic equal of its predecessors. FE'S CALENDAR for 1909 consists of 12 heavy sheets, 15% by 1244, and acover in colors, tied with silk cord, and handsomely boxed, Price Two Dollars, carriage prepaid LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 17 Went 31st Street, New Yorks