Life, 1909-09-09 · page 29 of 32
Life — September 9, 1909 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, featuring multiple product promotions (Whiting Papers, Mennen's Talcum Powder, Pond's Extract) alongside two short humorous stories. **"The First Joy Rider"** is a brief classical reference joke: Greeks entering Troy in the wooden horse called it "the first joy ride"—dark humor about the subsequent massacre that followed. **"A True Story"** satirizes **book collecting obsession**. A wealthy gentleman becomes irrationally fixated on a rare first edition, repeatedly visiting over a week to examine it at $5,000 (enormous sum for the era). He finally purchases it in an almost fevered state. The punchline: his wife later visits the bookseller, confessing her husband "pays too much for his books." The salesman's defensive response—that rare books "always command their value"—is the joke's target: the gentleman has been manipulated by expert salesmanship into an irrational purchase, and even his spouse recognizes the absurdity. The satire mocks both wealthy collectors' susceptibility to desire and salesmen's psychological manipulation tactics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Tlead of red of the cannot twelve ft will y work forget America’s Best s nea. vu. 8. PAY. OFF. FOR FINE CORRESPONDENCE OR FOR GENERAL BUSINESS USES WHITING PAPERS ARE STANDARD One of the choicest papers ever made, and one that is very similar in texture and sur- face to the stationery most in favor among people of social prominence abroad is Whiting’s No. 1 Extra It has a highly glazed surface on which the writing shows to great advantage. The stock used is of the finest grade. Any per- son who likes a smooth finished paper of superlative quality will find the No.1 Extra eminently satisfactory. WHITING PAPER COMPANY New York, Philadelphi When you think of writing think of WHITING The First Joy Rider ¢ Greeks were entering Troy in the wooden he first yoy ride,"” they chortled. en the slaughter commenced A True Story The following incident illustrating the “ fear- ful joy"? of book collecting recently came to our notice ; One day a man entered the salesroom of one of the largest publishing houses in this country The salesman, who knew h ght, him in conversation, in the course of whi remarked that he had a first folio edition of of the most celebrated pocts in the world. The gentleman asked to see it. He was taken into the little back room where all the treasures were kept and he spent some time in examining the sacred volume. After his scrutiny was com- pleted he asked what the lowest price for the book was. “Five thousand dollars,"” was the reply. “Is that the very best you can do?" “Tt is. He shook his head mournfully and went away. The next day he came back and after looking over some other books casually said he would like to see that particular volume again. Once more he was shown into the inner room, Once more he spent an hour in looking over the sacred vol ume and once more he departed, his face still sadder. This process was repeated day after day, the salesman, experienced in his business, never thrusting the volume directly before him, but always taking care that he should have the op- portunity to re-examine it. Finally, at the end of a week drove up to the door, the gentle carrying in his hand a small satchel, this time having that quiet glow which indi- cated that he had come to a decision. In a few moments he had exchanged the five thousand dol- lars he had brought with him for the volume and had departe Now mark the sequel The following day, as the head sales had made this sale was standing in the rear of the store, the door opened quietly and a lady entered. The salesman pricked up his cars. He thought he remembered seeing that face before. Then it came to him that this lady had once been in the establishment with her bus- band, the gentleman who had made the purchase the day previous. The salesman hurried for- ward. “ What can I do for you? “Nothing especial. I y the way, my husband was in a carria an who ame in to loo “Oh, ye! “He bought a book from you," he name of the book es, I believe I do rememoer that he did.”* She hesitated for a moment Do you know," she said, “I sometimes thin sband pays tod much for his books. JENNEN’ TT —mentioning BORATED TALCUM CHAFING, and SUNBURN, “VS Reeves all oder of perpinsce, De} —— thar Stavieg Sold everywbere, of ase. Get Mesoes's (be erga. Sumoie Fret, CEANARD NEXNEN COMPANY News RJ, AFTER SHAVING USE The salesman smiled. “You may be sure, madam, that yesterday he got a bargain. Besides, you must remember that a book like that always commands its value.”” The lady leaned forward. a mingled feeling of anxiety wanted her husband's figures confirmed offi- cially. Confidentially she said, “ But don’t you think that one hundred dollars was too much for him to pay for that book?" The salesman, wise in his day and generation, led in hi st lordly manner as, shrugging oulders, he replied, “ Never, madam. He ta hundred dollars for that Her face expressed and curiosity, She For the first time ever presented American readers the ONLY COMPLETE Edition, abso- lutely unexpurgated, in English of this great French writer, translated from the Original Manu- scripts by linguists of literary distinction. Wonderful Critical Preface by Paul Bourget, of the French Academy. * Tales of Realism—Rare Oriental and Parisian Studies De Maupamant wrote with the conviction that tn fe there cond Ma uetente tobe or ko means mo honrable oreo osce female Baity or to'ow'ns to be unworthy of chronicling ce Here human Fieve oF fault success OF tallure. wiado oF Toh Trae "Sia Bor pesca ts’ owe pecullar pay chological sapect an8 therefore demanded aa Fee ass aeiand fired with natural passion, bis Pee co ease Rene hin be to human aatdre wine at PeysRoeeIca Cuneslatehs thea aaed upon tbe most orsinart 0 w tmotlve or aspect of iy powettul, He scems to Wie one thing {a wLich the woul of theese gives a plete ia words aie storics should be a part of Stes of travel and anventare, of Mage medical eapertencen of boys asd pales that ‘Dovets "Upon the ‘borders ot 4 More sia Than Balzac. More Entertaining Than The Arabian Nights teen Beautiful Volumes of Delightful Reading consisting of over 5.500 pages, printed from a new cast of French Flzevie type—elegant and clear—on pure w iy tor this ins. There ai silk headbands and goid tops. ‘Woe reserve tho right to withdraw this offer or raise the price without notice OUR GUARANTEE : 23 have been beyond the reach of tex wa charges eof ten days. expense. CAN ANY OF= WONT: PAIR? COUPON SAVES 50% You run no risk— Oo | MAIL IT NOW. $2.00 per month for eleven (11) TheWerner advise you with Signature PONDS EXTRACT IRRITATION--PRI SNF — . Write tor Booklet anaving Easontinie ee EA Wty CORLISS & OO. Sole Sgenes: Now York, Address. comicbooks.com