Life, 1910-05-05 · page 16 of 72
Life — May 5, 1910 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising with one humorous piece**, not political satire. The main comedic content is "The Breakfast Hour," a domestic humor piece depicting a conversation between a husband and wife. It satirizes **early 20th-century upper-class anxieties** about modern conveniences and medical procedures. The wife casually discusses: - Installing "anchor-proof" roofing (apparently a contemporary concern) - Sterilizing gloves for dinner - Her daughter needing brain surgery to fix her tardy behavior (the joke being the absurdity of medical intervention for a child's punctuality problem) - Obtaining a prosthetic leg from a doctor The satire mocks both the wife's obsession with modern safety standards and the era's over-medicalization of everyday problems. The tone suggests this was meant as light social commentary on how newfangled technology and medical science were being applied to trivial domestic matters. The page otherwise contains straightforward advertisements for furniture, corsets, and bitters—typical of *Life* magazine's revenue model.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Elegance is the first characteristic of Tobey Handmade Furniture It is an elegance not only of line, propor- tion and finish, but also of the beauty of richly grained rare woods and of the nicety of exquisite hand workmanship. Tobey Handmade Furniture is sold only at our two stores. We invite you to see it. Correspondence concerning the furnishing and decoration Of the home will receive our prompt attention. THE TOBEY FURNITURE COMPANY 11 West Thirty-Second Street, NEW YORK (Near Fifth Avenue) Wabash Avenue and Washington Street, CHICAGO Why Not Have a Parcels-Post ? Postmaster-General Hitchcock reports that the Post Office Department loses $64,000,000 a year. Now, what do you know about that, supposing, of course, that you know nothing at all about it? And did it ever occur to you, gentle reader, that the ‘eads of departments in this particular branch ot our government at Washing- ton really have less actual knowledge of the practical workings of the business end of the job than has my friend Brown? It’s all very simple when you knock out the big words and the blue-sky o1a- tory, but does it occur to you in this connection that the railroads and the ex press companies haven't any deficits, and don’t intend to have any so long as the dear people fail to get next?—Beach’s Magazine. Visitox: What do you call this? Fire drill? Cierk: No, Mr. Bonds, president of our concern, just dropped dead in his Our Special Offering 10% Discount allowed from regular catalogue. offer lds good for a limited time Read in your order at oace. This Garment at $4.95 Regular Price $7.50 A dainty combination in one piece corset cover, short skirt and z away with all woe necessary ful entire Aand made, of fine Nainsook, handsomely’ trimmed with Valenciennes Lace insertion and edging and Satin ribbon. ‘Sent prepaid to any address in the United States for $4.98, Please ask for combination $00 V, giving best, waist and Write for our Glimpse of My Lady's Wardrobe.” WOODWARD & ACE, 500 Fifth Ave., New York. Reference: Columbia Bank 07 Fifth Ave, ‘Thea up spake the Bish “To gain creditand not ai-Bridge’ scores The Breakfast Hour Good morning, Father, did you sleep all right up on the roof? And have no trouble now the top has been made anchor-proof? Those gay O'Tooles are “ fly-by-nights in more ways than in one, And I'll be glad when once the laws re- strict the midnight run Yes, Bridget, we are ready: bring the coffee right in hot— Are you sure you baked the napkins and that you've not forgot To sterilize your gloves? Now, take the tongs to pass the plate— I wonder what's the matter that Ed- wina’s always late! I fear, my dear, you'll have to make a date for that dear child . For operation on her brain, she drives me nearly wild! She's never up in time for school, she never hears the bell: A clot of blood must rest upon her “ punctual "’ brain cell. Her teacher sent me word last night ‘twas time the thing was done, And while her head was opened up ‘would be a simple one To change the set of nerves attached to her unruly tongue And tighten up the chords a bit—'tis now 100 loosely hung. And, by the way, while you are in the doctor's shop just sce If he has found the leg he said he'd have just right for me. Now, what's the use of talking, John! I can’t go to the batl In that sheath gown when my right leg don't ch my left at all! I don’t care if it does come high, I've got, I think, some right! Pray tell me what you had to pay for hiring, Tuesday night, The stomach for the dinner, that was ready to go home Yo Mrs. Vanderastor? Oh, you have no need to foam! Tl never tell—but, by the way, when will they have yours done? Injecting pre-digested food makes you so cross and glum! Oh—now you're off! Say—don’t forget, that leg must be good strength, And measure two feet round the top and two feet four in length Paces. Puck. Seen Abbott's, private office and the boys are moving %, Makes the best cocktail, rate up into their new positions as quickly as Beverage Ace gil wine, Tan possible, so that no time will be lost— ator. seine and droceietes comicbooks.com