Life, 1909-03-25 · page 32 of 36
Life — March 25, 1909 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a promotional page advertising upcoming issues of *Life* magazine, a satirical weekly publication. The header joke references Lent (the 40-day Christian period of fasting/penance), suggesting the Devil has had 40 days off—implying that during Lent, people behave so virtuously that even evil takes a vacation. The main content lists forthcoming special issues: a Woman's Number (April 22), Health Number (April 29), Sportsmen's Number (May 6), and College Number (May 20). Each description contains light satire—the Woman's Number explicitly excludes male contributors; the Health Number promises absurdist content (Irishmen on waterfalls, asylum scenes); the College Number reduces university life to girls. This demonstrates *Life's* early-20th-century satirical approach: mocking social conventions, gender roles, and contemporary leisure pursuits through humor aimed at educated, middle-class readers. The page functions as both advertisement and comedy, using playful announcements to entertain subscribers about what's coming next.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE DEVIL IS APPROACHING THIS MUNDANE SPHERE. HE HAS HAD 40 DAYS OFF (SO IT IS THOUGHT.) N the meantime a much more Have you been playing Bridge during Lent? Perhaps important event is the rapid ~~ you think you know something about this popular game. But when you see the centre page cartoon in the Easter Easter Number Number of LIFE, you will feel that you haven't learned of LIFE the rudiments. ——— This Number, by the way, is a dream. Wonderful pic- NED 1 SDAY tures. Crisp, trenchant and witty text. approach of the COMING April 22, Woman’s Number. (Colored cover by Clay) Among the writers who will contribute to this number are Gertrude Atherton, Agnes Repplier, Carolyn Wells, Mrs. Wilson Woodrow, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, Kate Masterson, Mrs. Thompson Seton, Minna Irving, Elizabeth Jordan and Clara Morris. This is exclusively a woman's number, no men being allowed to contribute to it. April 29. Health Number. (Colored cover by Kilvert) Full of vim. It has everything in it from two Irishmen sitting on a waterfall to a stirring scene in an insane asylum, When you read it your circulation will go way up j the circulation of LIFE is moving these days. But that is another story. Sometime we'll tell you all about May 6. Sportsmen’s Number, (Colored cover by Crosby) Full of fresh air and primitive instincts. All alive with splendid pictures. May 20. College Number. — (Colored cover by Clay) Mr. Clay has done one of his very cleverest pictures in this number. It is the tree of knowledge. Now the fruit o! ree is inside the covers, and as for the centre page cartoon, well, it is enough to say that it is all about girls—and such girls ! Other numbers coming are the Jungle number, Summer Gadding number (devoted to travel), the Flirt’s number, the Matrimonial number, the Book number and the Spook’s number. Order of issue subject to change. LOOK ALIVE FOR LIFE comicbooks.com