Life, 1909-12-16 · page 23 of 32
Life — December 16, 1909 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily advertisements**, not political satire. The main content includes: **Advertisements:** - Porto Rico steamship travel luxury cruise - Durham Duplex Razor (the featured "One Gift Every Man Wants")—marketed as superior to old-style razors for its diagonal-stroke shaving - Everstick Invisible Rubber overshoes - De Potter Tours travel packages **Editorial Content:** A "Rhymed Review" by George Barr McCutcheon critiques the novel *Truxton King*, sarcastically noting it repeats the same tired plot elements—evil counts, secret doors, dramatic battles—from the author's earlier work *Graustark*. The review mocks formulaic adventure fiction. Below, poet Arthur Guiterman laments that commercial publishers chase bestsellers over quality literature, appealing for writers of "honest fiction" with "nobler thought." **No political cartoons appear.** This is a typical early-20th-century magazine page mixing consumer goods advertising with book reviews and light verse commentary on popular culture's commercial demands.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE: The One Gift Every Man Wants Vi e e isit Porto Rico Our steamers afford passengers every luxury of modern travel. Perfect cuisine. | All out- side stateroom Metal bedsteads instead of berths. Wireless telegraphy. Porto Rico is an Ideal Winter Resort tip.) "Tue petactpal ports are visiied. Special Holiday Write for illustrated booklet Sets in beautiful The New York & Porto Rico Steamship Co. ‘ 3 Se 12 Broadway, New York ilver-plated sets, Branch Ticket Office, 290 Broadway : $6.00. or Raymond & Whitcomb, Principal Ci Gold - plated sets,, = Se - $7.50. covers all expenses. Rhymed Reviews Truxton King (By George Barr McCutcheon. Dodd, Mead & Co.) Well, he another !— Truxton King.” ‘The same old Graustark-Zenda set- ting; The same bad Count; the same old ring Of plotters, stupidly forgetting . wo The simplest ways of settling scores; A man’s appreciation of a The same old nobles, kind and gift depends on how useful it is to cranky ; him—not how much it costs. He will prize the The same old traps and secret doors, The same old crown in evil plight (The gilt thereon grows rather thinnish), The ne old cataclysmic fight, The same old grand, triumphal finish! TRAZOR because it is both useful and ornamental. Useful because it is a perfect razor. It does not cut you like the old style razors—does not scrape like the hoe-shaped safeties—it shaves with the correct diagonal stroke—no stropping or honing necessary. In handsome leather case, with six double-edge interchangeable blades. Price, complete, $5.00. Handsome Illustrated Booklet on request DURHAM DUPLEX RAZOR CO. 111 Fifth Avenue The on New York Everstick Invisible Rubber is diferent from all other rubbers in construction — being an invisible rubber dat peice Gvode aah ime ~ ame 3 pare = We pill send complete nes, and cold — combining grace in design ‘ ¥ of fies. Ml wot entirely sath and outline with absohite protection, yet al- i lowing the feet to breathe freely — which the coxdinary rubber does not do. Free Trial Offer refund your monev. Everybody needs Eversticks and can always find them oa sale where good shoes are sold. The genuine always have the Ever- Stick trademark stamped inside ‘and on the bottom of every shoe. The Adams & Ford Co, Cleveland, Ohio Oh, brave Sir Walter, rise again! Unlock your store of clear romances Of virile love and stalwart men, Of ringing shields and splintered lances That fed the soul of eager Youth! Dethrone usurping story-tellers Who take no thought for style or truth, But rush to market “biggest sellers!” Which means, I'd much prefer to read A work of nobler thought and diction Composed by one who chose to heed The verities of honest fiction Arthur Guiterman. Tyeive Toursie 110 fora pars wa ene Tour to Spain, Sicity, urope.tncloding Oheras taly, France. DE POTTER TOURS (=) g7eq9rn comicbooks.com