Life, 1909-12-09 · page 22 of 32
Life — December 9, 1909 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and promotional content** rather than political satire. The main elements are: 1. **Brooks Brothers ad** for Christmas gifts (top left) — straightforward luxury goods advertising. 2. **Life's subscription offer** (center) — promoting a year's subscription at $5 for 1909-10, with a free photogravure reproduction of a painting titled "Playing Bridge" by Balfour Ker. The accompanying text humorously notes the young man in the painting plays bridge because it's both "necessary and pleasurable." 3. **Book promotion** (right) — advertising Gouverneur Morris's story "Putting on the Screws," described as appropriate Christmas reading despite containing no Christmas references. 4. **Cartoon** (bottom right) — a small, unclear humorous illustration showing a woodpecker being threatened by someone claiming they'll "run you in" for working on Sunday. This appears to be a joke about labor laws or religious observance, but the specific reference is unclear from the image alone. The page reflects early 1900s consumer culture and leisure activities among the affluent.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘Strausnco 8% LiriksDrcthes, C{RCLOTHINGs Gentlemens Furnishing Goods, Christmas Suggestions Automobile Trunks, Luncheon Baskets Fur Garments, Steamer Rugs Dressing Gowns, Breakfast Jackets Umbrellas and Walking Sticks Fitted Bags and Dressing Cases Angora and Shetland Garments Many Novelties from the West End London Shops Illustrated Christmas Catalogue on request BROADWAY Cor. TWENTY-SECOND ST., NEW YORK LIFE’S Special Subscription Offer for 1909-10 PON receipt of your subscription for one year, at our regular rate of Five Dollars, we will be pleased to send you with LIFE’S compliments, a special Photo-Gravure reproduction, | 2x7 4 in size, on plate paper 20x15 inches, of Mr. Balfour Ker’s painting, “ PLAYING BRIDGE,” miniature of which is shown herewith. tones PLAYING DRIDGE By Balfour Ker. Photo-Gravure, 2x 15 in. Some play Bridge because they like it; others, because everyone else does, and others for revenue only, With this young man it seems both necessary and pleasurable, thus furnishing a happy example of the sociolocist’s ideal of a really congenial occupation. We have sele:ted it as the best picture of the year, to serve as a souvenir of LIFE to our readers. This offer is open until April 1, 1910, and a copy of the picture will be sent on each yearly subscription entered on our mailing list before that time, in the order of its receipt. Canadian, $5.52; Foreign, $6.04 An unpretentious little tale — but it breathes the true Christmas spirit. GOUVERNEUR MorRRISs’s Putting on the Screws MORE exclusive remembrance than the con: ventional Christmas card. There is not a word about Christmas from beginning to end of Mr. Morris's cheering little story, yet one could search many shelves of books without finding so appropriate a volume for the holiday season. The tale is founded on one of those fundamental tri umphs of human natare over itself which make any reader's heart feel warm, Charmingly illustrated in color. Fixed price, 50c. (Postage sc.) DOUBLEDay, PAGE & COMPANY, NEW YORK “ MAY, YOU WOODPECKER, IF L CATCH YOU WORKING ON SUN- DAY AGAIN, I/LL RUN YOU IN,’” comicbooks.com