Life, 1909-03-25 · page 24 of 36
Life — March 25, 1909 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising** for transportation services (trains and steamships), interspersed with light humor and poetry. The cartoons and jokes are mild social commentary: 1. **"Kept Him on a String"**: A domestic humor joke playing on the phrase "kept on a string" (controlled someone). The wife's punchline—she waited until he could afford marriage—reflects early 20th-century attitudes about women's economic dependence. 2. **"An Illusion"**: A meta-joke about *Life* magazine itself. The poet mock-laments finding "The Literary Spirit in the Modern Magazine"—a paradoxical title suggesting modern magazines lack literary merit. This is self-deprecating satire about the magazine's own content. 3. **"Dead Ones"**: A brief anecdote about Senator Beveridge criticizing indifference to child labor, followed by a cynic's quip that great men are merely statues ("cast in bronze"). 4. **"Etiquette à la Mode"**: A one-liner mocking overly casual British greetings. Overall, this reflects *Life*'s role as a satirical publication mixing entertainment, light social criticism, and advertising for a leisure-class readership.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Southwestern Limited between New York, Dayton, Cincinnati Indianapolis and St. Louis A daylight ride along the historic Hudson River and through the Mohawk Valley LL the conveniences that man, woman or child has at home, office or club you have on this train and still keep on moving toward your destination over the smooth ‘*Water Level Route’’ and through some of the richest scenic attractions of the world. SPECIAL FEATURES ufc Je. barber, throughout. ‘There are several other splendidly equipped daily trains in each direction between New York and Cincin- nati, Dayton, Columbus, Indianapolis and St. Louis. Tickets and Sleeping-Car Accommodations Ratiread, omces wan tlekets delivered by spectal representative on request f 1 Gcinnati; 1 East Washington Street, Is wrth and. Vine Stree gee ail 713 Olive Street, St. Louls, "America’s Greatest Railway System" Kept Him on a String “T kept my husband on a string five years before I consented to marry him!" “Why so lon; “Well, you see, I waited until I could see his way clear financially ! "’—Lippincott’s. An Illusion An open periodical 1 saw as I passed by, ‘And down the list of contents I idly cast my eye; 1 saw the queerest title—whatever could it mean? “The Literary Spirit in the Modern I looked again, and gazed at it in utter blank sur- asertion We kee “(4 WOMAN AT THE noTToM 0: Asneyitir, N. Cur Th Souths ‘The Maxon, the Dead Ones Senator Beveridge. in the course quent after-dinner speech in Bos child labor. When we consider the indiff which so many of our great men lo: child-labor evil, we can’t help wonderi men are so very great after all.” Senator Beveridge paused and smiled n orator,” he said, was addressing an as semblage of people. He recounted the people's wroi Then he passionately cried “*Where are Americ e, silent?’ use they're all cast in bron shouted a eynic in the rear.’ "Baltimore American Etiquette a la Mode Avevstus: Hullo, old man; how are you, ad how are your people, and all that sort of sity rot ?—London Globe. prise Southern Pacific Though I had read the words aright, I scarce believed my eyes! For surely readers will agree no one has ever seen The Literary Spirit in the Modern Magazine. Of terms a contradiction! Of thoughts a para- dox! Experience it stultifies, at common sense it mocks, As well say two and two make five, or that the sky is green, As the Literary Spirit in the Modern Magazine! I love the periodicals, I read them every time I love a lightweight story, or a bit of senseless rhym But I never have discovered,—although my eyes are keen.— The Literary Spirit in the Modern Perhaps there is a four in that will give Im- mortal Youth; Perpetual motion may be found; in wells there may be truth. But credulity has limits; they must tell to some marine Of “The Literary Spirit in the Modern Maga- zine!’ —Carolyn Wells in The Bookman. GREAT BEAR SPRING WAT! Steamships Elegant Accommodations New York — New Orleans Choice of several rail Leg from either city ie SOUTH AND MIDDLE WEST Returning to starting point ROUND TRIP RATE Including Berth and Meals on Steamer $61.00 or $63.00 According to Rail Route Send to Any Southern Pacific Agent for copy of ««A HUNDRED GOLDEN HOURS | AT SEA 2 HecaNert, 58 Nedra. Reston, 170 Washington St. Pladelphia, 2 Chestnut. atin Piesburg, 708 Park Bidg., Chicago, 120 Jackson Brd., St. Louls, 903 Olive St, Detrolt, nase er iaunepgatal ot Ai aute. sa ie eens #85, shade crete ancora tines wil ear How to Serve Grape Fruit] comicbooks.com