Life, 1909-03-04 · page 20 of 44
Life — March 4, 1909 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces: **"The World"** (left): A mock real-estate advertisement selling Earth itself like property. It humorously pitches the planet's "features"—water, climate variety, and crucially, "a constant supply of wretched people" to make buyers feel superior, plus "handsome women" available if you save enough money. The satire targets both real-estate hyperbole and male consumerism. **"The Stuff of Dreams"** (center): A cartoon showing two men viewing a rural house for sale. The caption indicates it's a refuge for the "city-fagged man"—satirizing urban professionals' romanticized fantasy of rural escape. **"Professional Advice"** (right): Humorous dialogue between a housewife and marketman debating high meat prices, followed by a joke about Mrs. Frost hiring a cross-eyed nurse-maid so "one eye" watches the policeman while the other watches children—absurdist humor about multitasking. All three mock contemporary consumer culture, aspirations, and domestic concerns of the early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ldvertisement: OCATED just outside of the Milky Way, near Mars, with a splendid view of several of our pret- tiest planets, including Venus, Jupiter, ete A few choice lots left—on easy pay- ments This pleasant little planet has been known for its many merits. Al- though revolving in a comparatively small orbit, it has advantages of its own not present in some of our larger hold- ings. The world is covered, over three- fourths of its surface, by both salt and fresh water. Thus you can never get long ati THE STUFF OF DREAMS (For sale; old-fashioned house, secluded, surrounded by trees. etc. A refuge for acity-fagged man”) THERE, THET’S 17. orchard, ten acres meadow land, The Driver: thirsty, or be deprived of your bath. It has every known climate. You can sample them all by taking up a tem- porary residence in New York, U. S. A, where they are kept on hand. It has a constant supply of wretched people, in order to make you feel con- tented by knowing that you are better off. It has a splendid supply of handsome women. By saving up enough money you can take your pick and change as often as you wish. Apply all hours of day and night. EW women look like themselves in public. said “well done Brook-trout at door, old Professional Advice “] DECLARE,” says the housewife, “I don't know what we are to do, when round steak costs as much as por- terhouse. It is outrageous.”” “Yes, mum,"’ agrees the marketman. “What's a body going to do if this keeps on? “T would advise you, mum, that bein’ the case, to cat porterhouse.”” s RS. FROST always cross-eyed nurse-maid “Why's that? ’* So when the girl has one eye on the policeman she can have the other on the children.” chooses a comicbooks.com