Life, 1909-03-18 · page 26 of 32
Life — March 18, 1909 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page announces Life's upcoming "Woman's Rights Number" (March 25, 1909). The opening poem sarcastically characterizes women as "uncertain, coy and hard to please," expressing a dismissive male perspective on the opposite sex. The included anecdote about Miss Wilberforce—a real early women's rights advocate—illustrates the magazine's satirical approach: when audiences cheered "Miss Wilberforce forever!" after her speech, she corrected them to "Miss Wilberforce if you will, but not forever, please!" The joke relies on mocking women's presumed vanity or inconsistency. The page promotes upcoming special issues with tongue-in-cheek descriptions. A cartoon by Harry Dart titled "When Women Vote" is mentioned, suggesting the upcoming number will satirize women's suffrage—a hotly debated issue in 1909. This reflects Life's position as a satirical magazine that treated women's rights movements with mockery rather than support, typical of mainstream American periodicals during the suffrage era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
O HOMAN / "Tnever sleep.” In our hours of ease, Uncertain, coy and hard to please— But seen too oft, familiar with her face We first endure, then pity, then embrace— this is the date of LIFE’S next issue, and this number will March 25th, 1909, machetes to the absorbing and were o¢ less entrancing subject of woman's rights. 9 That reminds us of a story. Miss Wilberforce, one of the early champions of woman's rights in England, once made an eloquent plea before a British audience. When she had finished, the auditors Tose as one woman—and shouted, "Miss Wilberforce forever!" She raised her bands and replied: ‘Miss Wilberforce if you will, but not forever, please !"* NUMBER THAT ILLUSTRATES an important fact. Also an interesting moral. If you want to know more about it, you will be wise and get the next number of LIFE. Colored Cover by Crosb: x page cartoon by Harry Dart, entitled, ‘When Women Vote.” Fabulously funny. T! C1 s The Beginning of a Cure’’ which brings out a certain point which all of us have thought about more or less. Also a new feature—the “ What I Think” Page, in which even the editors of this paper differ among themselves. Are you a subscriber to LIFE? Better do it now or you may miss the very thing you have been looking for. Next Tuesday Woman's Rights Number Everywhere COMING ! April 1. Easter Number. (Colored cover by Orson Lowell) We cannot tell yet just how large this number will be. We make it our business (and yours) to be in touch with the times, New Ideas are flowing in upon us all the hours of the day. Easter brings with it a train of them. Pictures? The best Witticisms ? We should say Yes—from the trenchant epigram to the full-fledged dia- logue. Forty pages Ge t least) of the brightest and best there is. April 22. Woman’s Number. (Colored cover by Clay) No one but women will contribate to this number. Since we sent out our general invitation weeks ago, the ideas have been pouring in. Clever women everywhere have availed themselves of this opportunity to say the one thing they have long had in mind. The result? How can we say otherwise than that it is magnificent. April 29. Health Number. (Colored cover by Kilvert) No gloom here. Take this copy of LIFE after each meal and it will cure you of anything. All the latest fads exploited, pictorially and otherwise. Revels in richness, Warranted to cure the most advanced case of blues in ten minutes after taking. May 6. Sportman’s Number. (Colored cover by Crosby) aa Are you a dead game sport? “It doesn’t matter. This is the open season for good ideas, and our sporting editor has been out with his gun. You musn’t miss it. Better than a vacation. Other numbers coming are College Number, Flirt’s Number, Book Number, and Chorus Girl’s Number. Order of issue subject to change. Note that these are only a few of the special numbers coming. Watch this page for announcements A st who wi ministe! comicbooks.com