Life, 1909-11-11 · page 25 of 36
Life — November 11, 1909 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising with literary content**, not political satire. The main feature is a **rhymed book review** by Arthur Guiterman of Ellen Glasgow's novel *The Romance of a Plain Man*. The poem summarizes the plot: Benjy Starr, a working-class man, rises through self-education and hard work, marries a woman from Virginia's aristocratic "First Families of Virginia" (F.F.V.), faces financial ruin, then recovers through an overlooked railroad investment. The poem's conclusion gently mocks the implausibility of this plot device—the Sheriff somehow missed seizing valuable railroad property. The satire is **literary, not political**: Guiterman affectionately ribbed Glasgow's melodramatic plot mechanics rather than critiquing social issues. The page is dominated by **three product advertisements**: Hartshorn Shade Rollers, Gillette Shaving Soap (with detailed product description), and Bromo-Seltzer headache remedy—typical early-20th-century magazine advertising. No political figures or contemporary events appear to be referenced.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HARTSHORN SHADE ROLLERS Bear the script name of Stewart Hartshorn oa label. Get “Improved, no tacks required. Wood Rollers Tin Rollers Ofhelireraryfooy — Rhymed Reviews The Romance of a Plain Man (By Ellen Glasgow. The Macmillan Company.) Lt otters sing the Five-Foot Shelf Of Books to charm the Literary! da chap who raised himself y reading Johnson's Dictionary! Benjy Starr, a workman's son, »w-born within a Richmond alley, Thus climbed to Wealth and Place, and won The constant heart of lovely Sally; And she, forsooth, a Fairfax-Bland, The pearl of beauty, truth and free- dom, Could give this self-made man her and, despite the frowns of F. F. V.— dom! Now trouble comes, The market slumps. \ broken bank Ben's wealth effaces, And he is down in doleful dumps, While Sally takes to washing laces. A ray of light. A railroad line (Which Benjy’s creditors neglected To swallow) proves a golden mine, And Ben's estate is resurrected. Immersed in schemes, averse to play, Our Ben essays his means to double; His bride, neglected, pines away Of unsuspected spinal trouble. At last, without a day to spare, Ben learns the truth; with due con- trition Gillette Shaving Soap Makes a Great Difference O matter how you shave you want to try Gillette Shav- ing Stick. Use it once and you will know why thirty thousa dealers find astonishing sale for it and why everyone says it’s the best shaving soap in the world at any price. When you talk of anew shaving s the average man thinks “she same 0: sixpence.” We compares itin his mind with other shaving sticks that resemble it in appearance. Gillette Shaving Stick is different. will like it better.” It makes shavi It is more agreeable. The lather is fuse; bland to the skin. Easier to put on: takes hold better: stays moist longer: washes off clean. It is a perfectly pure soap—actively good tothe face. GILLETTE Gillette Shaving Stick is a soap of our own manufacture. Our chief object in marketing it is to help the Gillette Razor do its best work. Weare in a position of peculiar advant- age to know shaving soaps. We have been studying them for years. We now ving soap that Was ever Ask titfor you. k in a nickeled is a nice box. Aiter you have tried the soap you would buy it if it were wrapped only in pieve of brown paper. If you want the best value in a shaving brush buy the Gillette Brush—a new brush of Gillette quality—bristles gripped in hard rubber. Prices, 75c. to $5.00. SALES CO. 528 Kimball Building, Boston SELTZER CURES HEADACHES 10c., 25c., 50c., and $1.00 Bottles. He makes her health his of And casts away his life’s ambition. Herein, methinks, the To teach our me 1 That high-born, cultured folk despise The men who simply gather millions Perhaps, perhaps; But leave to Galahad the G For what I chiefly wish to know Is how the Sheriff missed that rail- road! Arthur Guiterman, (Continued on page 685) comicbooks.com