Life, 1911-08-31 · page 35 of 38
Life — August 31, 1911 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents **New York as a Summer Resort**—an essay arguing that New York City itself offers superior amenities to traditional resort destinations. The author humorously champions urban conveniences (private bathtubs, closets, proper bedding) over the discomforts of country resorts. The accompanying illustration shows well-dressed Edwardian-era figures at leisure near a mansion, depicting the aspirational leisure class this essay addresses. **The primary content is advertising**: A full-page Pabst Extract advertisement dominates the right side. This malt tonic marketed itself as a health supplement for aging bodies—claiming to restore "energy and vitality" and aid digestion for the elderly. The ad features a testimonial quote praising parents' vigor "past sixty," then pivots to selling Pabst Extract as the solution. **Historical context**: This reflects early 1900s patent medicine culture, when unregulated tonics made broad health claims. The ad even notes U.S. Government classification as medicine (not alcohol), suggesting regulatory grey areas of the era. The satire is subtle—the essay's practical urbanism contrasts with the ad's grand health promises, both targeting affluent readers seeking wellness and comfort.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
New York as a Summer Resort Summer resorts are nota specialty of mine. In fact, I don’t go to su ner resorts, except nearby ones, and then only for the When night comes I scurry back to le old New York. 1 never care to wander from my own bath- York is hot sometimes—there’s ubt about it, But a little heat n't hurt a man, provided he dresses, nd drinks rationally. It is also prudent not to carry around too much flesh in su: I never ¢ It is also well, when eating drink- ing, to exercise ¢a © ion of a good cating and drinking place. There j are several such in New York. I could ‘ : co “No one would ever imagine your parents past sixty. They seem to have more energy and vitality than most people of middle age.” | When the“Sunset Days” of life arrive the recuperative powers of youth | begin to wane and the need of strengthening, easily digested, quickly assimilated food is felt—something that will build up the wasted tissues and revive the nervousforce without overtaxing the digestive function. Pabst Extract City off equaled attractions for th Ee : Gi. olfers wnealedartastions, for the Te ‘Best Tonic In the first place he has his own bath- is an ideal food-drink for the aged—‘‘the staff of life’’ in highly concentrated liquid form— tub, and that means much nowadays. To tich in tissue building, muscle building elements of pure malt combined with the tonic perform one’s ablutions with the aid of properties of hops. It is easily and quickly assimilated by those whose digestive organs are a cute little pitcher containing a pint of greatly impaired. By taking asmall amount of Pabst Extract, The ‘‘Best’’Tonic, before each lukewarm water, and a coy, shrinking meal, the quantity of solid food can be greatly reduced and more real nourishment obtained. towel about the size and consistency of In addition to its strengthening properties, it soothes and quiets the nerves, bringing a second-hand porous plaster, is calcu- sweet, refreshing sleep, which is so essential to the aged. jated ake one peevish and d is- + a . Bee ciecnclteutie badwith Pabst Extract is The “Best” Tonic to build up the cent and the nervous wreck—to prepare for happy, et. Ave then:aiman bos bie be overworked, strengthen the weak, overcome insomnia, heathy motherhood and give vigor to the aged. Your real hair in it and pillows which he can telieve dyspepsia—to help the anaemic, the convales- _ physician will recommend it. find without a search warrant. And he The United States G. iff a 4 i % . | nit jes Government specifically classi has his clothes in his closets ard ward- | PR fot fe i in article of medicine—not an alcoholic robes in a Christian way. This having Pal times ebstteted when Pabit ‘ - to lift seven trays out of a Saratoga ‘Futractisealiedjor. Berure) ORDER A DOZEN FROM YOUR DRUGGIS' trunk every time you want to get at your Tos gid the grantas Pebst INSIST UPON IT BEING “PABST” Extract, Refuse to accept a ‘ixtractcan equal Pabst tn Library Slip, good for books and magazines, with each bottle. substitute, No “cheaper” rity trongth and quality 7 A Serr rensthand cuslits. | Brey pooklet, “Health Darts," tells ALL uses and benesitsot 181000 Reward Pabst Extract, Write for ita postal will do. or euldeace convicting any- netchereshen Pabst Batract incaltedfor, deliberately and teiibwut the bn Cuitomer,tupr “ther than Pabst Etract mention one in particular, but I hate to talk about myself. And, besides, I am not in the hotel business for profit, but simply for my health and for the good of the public. Children ought to get out of the city in the summer. They need green grass and trees, shady lanes, bosky dels, seques tered nooks, sylvan glades, babbling brooks and the whole business, and it is perfectly proper that their female rela- tives should accompany them. But for an able-bodied male adult, between the ages of cighteen and cighty, New York ‘We all know Sir Wilfrid Laurier Astatesman akin to a waurter, If through his verbosity i lingerie soon palls upon the jaded senses. ment on some aerial roof garden, where THE HONE DOES IT The D. & H. Honer and Stropper hones all makes of sulety blades on a stone hone, finishes on a leather strop likethe barber, At all dealer Price, $3.00 Complete, Prepaid Send for catalog A. C. HAYDEN & CO, BROCTON, MASS. And if one feels the need of an occa- sional outing, just think what New York has to offer, lying, as she does, en- vironed by ocean, rivers, bays and that most glorious of inland seas, Long Is- land Sound. No other place affords such an endless variety of water trips. day for wecks, if need be, some new ex- cursion on the water may be taken, leav- the city in the morning and return- ing in the evening in time for dinner, and after that a season of calm enjoy- cool drinks and invigorating soubrettes are freely dispensed. New York is good enough for me. And, although I am perfectly willing to accept such sympathy as may be lavished upon me by those who spend the summer away from the city, I find very little diffi- culty in beguiling the tedium of the heated term right here in the metropolis. —From “A Few Remarks,” by Simeon Ford. Copyright, 1903, by Doubleday Page & Co. comicbooks.com