Life, 1909-04-29 · page 20 of 28
Life — April 29, 1909 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **satirical poetry and humor pieces** typical of Life magazine's early 20th-century format. **"The Dispossessed Heart"** is a comic poem mocking extreme Victorian fashion constraints on women. A young woman named Mabel is so tightly corseted that her literal heart has nowhere to fit in her body—it tries her throat (blocked by a high collar), her sleeve (too tight), her boots (too snug), and finally settles in her throat anyway. The joke ridicules the absurd restrictiveness of fashionable dress that prioritized aesthetic silhouette over bodily comfort or sense. The accompanying **illustration** shows a heart character desperately searching for space in Mabel's heavily constrained form. Below are brief **humorous anecdotes**: one about a literary club that discusses gossip instead of literature, and another depicting a racist stereotype of a Black man being chased by farmers, shouting at a rabbit to move so someone faster can run. The page also contains period **advertisements** for Brooks Brothers clothing and The New Boot Shop, promoting ready-made shoes and men's furnishings.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
5) Selly ca a To Mabel's lovely throat it stole, Varied Programme But once again—poor, luckless w It failed to reach its lon Her collar was so high and tight! The desperate heart, despairing, sighed. “There's no place left but Mabel’s hat. with joy it cried— For there was lots of room on that! —Carolyn Wells in Saturday Evening Post Aha! I'm saved!"" The Dispossessed Heart Fair Mabel had a dainty waist, A triumph of the fashion’s art, But, ah, so tightly was it laced There wasn't room for Mabel’s heart. ‘The hapless heart was in despair; “T must beat somewhere! I believe I've heard a pretty girl will wear Her heart sometimes upon her sleeve."* But Mabel's sleeve clung like a skin To Mabel’s softly-rounded arm— The beating heart could not squeeze in. It looked about in vague alarm: “Well, well! I must try other routes. Of timid maids I've heard it said, Often their hearts are in their boots! "* And downward then it quickly sped. “ Ah, this place,”” said the heart, “I choose!" Alas, it found no room to beat— The little patent-leather shoes So snugly fitted Mabel’s feet. Now, though deep fear the poor heart smote, It thought: “ Sometimes a girl can’t sing Because her heart is in her throat ; The I do believe that's just the thing!" . But does It's not a question of rent, Location, view, oF size, trance looks in Fletcherize for goal— The women of an Indiana town recently ot. ganized a literary club, and for a while every. thing was lovely. “Alice,” asked the husband of one of the members, upon her return home from one of the meetings, “ what was the topic under discussion by the club this afternoon?" Alice couldn't remember at however, she exclaimed : “Oh, yes, I recollect! We discussed that brazen‘looking woman that’s just moved in across the street and Longfellow."’—Philadelphis Record. first. Finally, fs Betxc pursued by a farmer and his three sons after being caught in the chicken yard, a young colored poeson had just made up his mind that he was not eluding his followers as quickly as might be when a long-eared jack rabbit jumped up from the roadside and started down the road ahead of him. The would-be chicken thief had run a few hundred feet further when the farmer and his boys were astonished to hear the negro shout, in a voice that quavered with fright, though unrestrained: “Say, for de Lord sake, you rabbit, get out ob de way and let some one run who can run.""—Argonaut, Advice Fatier (angrily): If my son marrics that actress I shall cut him off absolutely, and you can tell him so GAL Apviser: I know a better plan thin I the girl—Boston Transcript. ‘Additional pestage to foreign countries in the Postal le current copies, 1 cents, Back numbers, after three returned unless ac sot hold ttyelf respousibie for the loss or is for sale by all Newsdealers in Gi mpanied by stamped and addressed envelope. Live {Suususneo 8% Flannels for Town and Country. Straw and Panama Hats. Russia, Calf, and Buckskin Shoes. Send for Illustrated Catalogue. BROADWAY on, TWENTY SECOND ST., NEW YORK ‘The International News Company, Breams Building, . AGENTS. Brentano's, 37 Ave. de l'Opera, Part also at Saarba ha reet, Leicester Square, W, London: 9, Rit St. Georges, Paris: 1, Via Firenze, ) yence, Germany. The text and illustrations in Live are copyrighted, and are not to be reproduced without special permission obtained in Prompt notification should be sent by subscribers of any change of address, SOMETIMES » itisa pleasure to buy new boots~ but not to wear them. Sometimes you enjoy wearing shoes ifyoucan uninspirin conditions args + of their purchase. Both Men &Wo-~ men secure 50th enjoymen sin Lhe New Boot Shop WoL Last 35 S¢ LVew Yor where the store~service is a re~ reshment of nerves, and the merchandise a reviver of faith. Better than custom boots — less than custom prices—an Ready for Immediate Wear Martin & Martin comicbooks.com