Life, 1909-02-04 · page 36 of 40
Life — February 4, 1909 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising** interspersed with three brief humorous anecdotes typical of early 1900s Life magazine. The **cartoons/jokes** are simple, dialect-heavy humor: 1. **"Diagnosis"**: A racist caricature of a Black man ("darky") complaining about a ham to a storekeeper, with the punchline that the ham had "a relapse" — playing on the man's supposed ignorance of medical terminology. 2. **"Spare the Horses"**: A sergeant warns a recruit not to approach horses from behind, joking that the recruit's thick head is less valuable than the horses' safety. 3. **"The Saddest Words"**: A pun contrasting Tennyson's melancholy poem "Break, break, break" with "Broke, broke, broke" — referencing financial ruin during an economic period. The advertisements feature **Baker Electric Vehicles** (early automobiles), **Great Western Champagne**, **White Rock water**, and **Evans Ale** — luxury consumer goods. The humor reflects period attitudes: casual racism, class-based comedy, and financial anxiety amid economic uncertainty.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LDPE: THE BAKER FOUR PASSENGER COUPE Baker Electrics are built especially to suit the exacting require- ments of those dis- criminating men and women who want the best. They are easiest to operate—the safest to drive, and perfect in every detail of mech- anism and construction. Our catalog illustrating and describing all of the Baker Electric Coupes, Broughams, Victorias, Landaulets, Surreys, Runabouts, Roadsters, etc., will be sent on request. THE BAKER MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY 33 West 80th Street CLEVELAND, OHIO Agencies in all Principal Cities Diagnosis Into a general store of a town in Arkansas there recently came a darky complaining that a ham which he had purchased there was not good. “The ham is all right, Zeph,’’ insisted the storekeeper. “No, it ain't, boss,’’ insisted the negro. “ Dat ham's shore bad!’ “ How can that be,"’ continued the storekeeper, “when it was cured only last week? "’ The darky scratched his head reflectively, and finally suggested : “Den mebbe it's had a relapse."’—Harper’s Weekly. Spare the Horses A cavalry sergeant at a Western post had en- dured the stupidity of a recruit for many days. One day the “ rookie "’ was thus greeted when he had violated the sergeant’s orders : “ Say, don’t ever come at the horses from be- hind without speakin’ to them!’” exclaimed the sergeant. “They'll be kicking in that thick head of yours! Then the first thing you know there'll be a lot 0” lame horses in the squadron.”'—Har- per’s Weekly. EXTRA ORY Nearly one hundred years of soil cultivation in our vineyards has de- veloped vines that pro- duce a fine quality champagne grape. This ideal, rich wine grape—combinedwith French methods of making— makes Possible this su- perior Champagne. PLEASANT VALLEY WINE CO. Sole Makers Weary: Sav, MISTER, KIN 1 HAVE ONE OF DEM APPLES? Farmer: WHY, THEM APPLES WON'T BE RIPE YOR FOUR MONTHS YIT. Weary: 0M, DAT’S ALL RIGHT. wurRy. | 1’LL wait! 1 AIN'T IN NO WhifeRock. “The World’s Best Table Water’’ d's Poor Almanack,” the hit of (908, Beautifully bound Address White Rock, Flatiron Blag., New York City. Nowe ready, 1909 edition of the famous * and illustrated humorous book, Sent for 10 The Saddest Words Said a poet to an unfortunate speculator: jon't you think that the opening lines of Ten- nyson’s little poem, ‘Break, break, break,’ are plaintive and sad?" “Yes,” was the melancholy reply, “But I think that ‘ Broke, broke, broke,’ is a good deal sadder.""—Current Literature. “The Perfect Ale that is Ale There’s bottled comfort in the Evans brew and Manufactured for 144 years and has never had an equal, Smooth and creamy. Send for Booklet, LUYTIES BROTHERS New York Sole importers and ‘agents for U.S. full satisfaction. TEN LIMITED, conduc URO Hotels, Clubs, Cafes, Restaurants, Oyster and Chop Houses, ‘Saloons, Grocers E drome Druggists, ©, H. EVANS & SONS st. 1786. Hudson, N.¥. 180 Cac Ont World DE POTTER TOURS, 32 Broadway, *ie Scotchr: ye coul maun | do wi? Andy bis face “Th comicbooks.com