Life, 1909-11-11 · page 33 of 36
Life — November 11, 1909 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and light literary content**, not political satire. The main items are: **Advertisements:** Tailor-Made Comfy felt slippers, Old Overholt rye whiskey, De Potter Tours, and Whiting Bond Papers dominate the page. **Literary Content:** The central piece is Eugene Field's "Description of America"—a humorous travel narrative where Field, an American poet visiting London after inheriting money, deliberately exaggerates American violence to shock English dinner guests. When asked about witnessing lynchings, he fabricates an absurd story about lynching a waiter for serving pudding instead of sugar, claiming he was "downstairs shooting the chef." **The Joke:** This appears to be gentle satire of American frontier mythology and how Americans sometimes played up their country's rough reputation to foreign audiences—though the casual treatment of lynching reflects deeply troubling attitudes of the era. The page reflects early-20th-century Life magazine's mix of commercial content and literary humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Women's $1.25 Misses’ $1.00 Me Ose s '90¢ | Tailor-Made Comfy | An exceedingly handsome felt slipper, tim | andneat, asitsnameimp! ies, and verydressy. | Made of pure “* Comfy Felt," with one inch | of carded wool bztween felt inner sole and | felt and soft leather outer soles, making a | perfect cushion tread. Spring heels. {| Ideal for the bed-room. | Colors i Navy Blue, Gray, Red, own, Catanba, @ inder. | : Pink, Light Blue ] and Red. Men's: Black, Navy Blue, Redand Gray. Send for CATALOGUE No, 32,showing many new styles. DANIEL GREEN FELT SHOE CO. 114-116 East 13th Street | New York i, Established 1810 Purity, excellence and hon- esty are synonymous with OLD OVERHOLT RYE THE GREAT REPUTATION AND POPULARITY OVERHOLT WHISKEY ENJOYS IS THOROUGHLY DESERVED BY REASON OF ITS STERLING QUALITIES. IT'S A PENNSYLVANIA H STRAIGHT WHISKEY, BOTTLED IN BOND. A. Overholt & Co. OISTILLERS Pittsburg, Pa. Old Rese, | EERE WORLD TOURS Si ‘Twelve Toursin 1910 forall parts 44, of Exrope.including Oberammergau, 1! DE POTTER TOURS year) ¢ (9 November and January, also OHUENTAL TOURS ta fiasury Tour to Spain, Sicily, Field's Description of America Eugene Field’s first visit to Europe was made soon after he had come into a considerable sum of money and while he was still a resident of St. Joseph, Mo. He had been a reporter on the St. sJeseph Gazette a number of years and was becoming known on account of his verses, The legacy that had been left to him by a relative looked so large to him that he did not believe he would exer have to do newspaper work again. Little did he think that when he re- turned from Europe he would not have a dollar of it left, although such proved to be the case. Field's fame had not extended to Europe at that time, but when he reached London he met friends there who intro- duced him in good sociey. He was in- vited to a number of receptions and met many people of note. On every occasion he was called upon to tell something ahout his native land, and the tales he told have Munchausen to shame. At one of the gatherings the subject of Iynchings in America was being discussed “T suppose it is not unusual to see fone or more Iynchings every day,’” re- marked an Englishman, “Not at all uncommon,” replied Field. “In fact, we are so accustomed to see- ing people lynched that we pay little attention to hangings of that ¢ “And you have seen people lyr inquired a horrified lady sitting beside the American poet “Many of them,’ Field answered, in a tone so assuring that it would have done credit to a liar of twice his age and experience. “The last lynching I | witnessed,”” he continued, “was just be- fore I sailed. 1 was with some: f at dinner in a café in New York waiter had brought vs pudding tin it instead of sugar. We ¢ accord would put arose ani it, and then with strung the waiter up to the chandelier.’ “ Did you participate in it?" asked the awe-stricken lady in wide-eyed surprise. “Well, no,"’ Field. “1 did replied not exactly have a part in it, for at the | moment he was strung up I was down in the kitchen shooting the chef!"—Lip- | fincott's 5 America’s Best | neo. vu. 8. Par. orf, FOR FINE CORRESPONDENCE } OR FOR | GENERAL BUSINESS USES WHITING | PAPERS ARE STANDARD “Bond” paper, by its very name, suggests richness and reliability, strength and lasting quality, and these are all characteristics of WHITING’'S BOND PAPER It is an indispensable furnishing of the financier’s and business man’s desk, and is especially suited to persons who like to use a stub pen. It is a favorite with many women of taste and culture. Indeed, nearly everyone likes the crispness and vigor of a go.d Bond Paper. WHITING PAPER COMPANY New York, Chicago, —_Philadelphi Boston | When you think of writing think of WHITING ——— And There Are Others away to a had been called and so the newly wed mis- house undertook, with the maid, to get the Sunday luncheon The little maid, who had been Struggling in the kitchen with a coffee mill that would not work, confessed that she had forgotten to wash the lettuce. “Well, Pearl. Go on with the coffee and I'll do it,"’ said the considerate mistress. “ Where do they keep the soap? ""—Red Hen The cook sick sister, tress of the aid of the never mind, comicbooks.com