Life, 1911-12-21 · page 36 of 44
Life — December 21, 1911 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **book advertisements** for holiday gift editions, dominated by the J.B. Lippincott Company. The main narrative content is "A Musical Duel," a anecdote about Mozart as a young student of Haydn. The story illustrates Mozart's precocious genius: when Haydn challenges him to compose an unplayable piece, Mozart creates music so simple it appears trivial—until Haydn reaches the middle passage where Mozart deliberately uses an extremely high note that **only Mozart's notably long nose can physically play by striking the piano key**. This is the satirical "trick"—Mozart exploits his anatomical peculiarity to win the wager. The joke relies on period knowledge: Mozart was famously caricatured with an elongated nose. The anecdote humorously depicts artistic rivalry and youthful cleverness triumphing through unconventional means. The surrounding advertisements showcase other festive books: "Joyce of the Jasmines," "An Accidental Honeymoon," and a Shelley edition—typical 1910s-era gift literature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE: Pure water is better than medicine Nature’s remedy is pure, sparkling water. LONAONAETTY Mineral Water Comes from the very haunts of Nature. A water that springs brilliantly clear from rock-ribbed wills, With a fine cleansing quality that frees the system of impurities. “Delightful as a table water, palatable, appetiz~ ing. “And a royal blender. Sparkling (ellervescend in three table sizes. Still (plaia) in ball gallon battles, [—— possible to be played. Mozart, it must be remarked, was favored, or at least en- dowed, with an extremely long nose. Reaching the difficult’ passage, he stretched both hands to the extreme long ends of the piar d, leaning forward, bobbed his nose against the middle key which nobody could play. Haydn burst into an immoderate fit of laughter, and after acknowledgi e was beaten, be declared that N. zart with a ca re had endowed Mo ity for music which he had never before discovered. Spofford's Library of Wit and Humor. ered fr ial, in ton and sensitiv scientif A Musical Duel The following story is told of Mozart ¢ time when he was a pupil of Haydn had challenged Mozart mpose a piece of music which he at sight. Moza pted Y ° - \ etna acumen i Joyce of the Jasmines Doh ais to be the forfeit. Everything being ar- TP ay RALEH! GERRY. EOGSSGe ; good a ranged between the two c zart took his pen and a sheet of paper, Author of “ The Golden Heart," The Lilac Girl," “Holly” EE 4b “Ye and in five “My Lady of the Fog," “An Orchard Princess,” “We “Kitty of the Roses,” etc. panei This is another of the sweet, picturesque, charming holiday stories Ca so pleasantly associated with Mr. Barbour’s pen. The scenes are laid oyna i in the South and “ Joyce” is a lovely young southern girl, Marginal or THE senses hail decorations on each page. Small quarto, decorated cover in gold, ere ney panto ates with medallion, cloth, gilt top, $2.00, in a box. yy, “I Illustrated in color by CLARENCE F. UNDERWOOD less, be cause ¢ M returni posers, Mo- minutes dashed off a piece of music, and, much to the su se of Haydn, handed it to him, saying, “ There is a piece of music which you cannot play, and I can; you are to give the first trial. Haydn smiled contemptuously visionary presumption of his pi vill.” placing the notes before him, struck the keys of the instrum Surprised at its simplicity h till he reached the middle of iece, when, stopping all at once, | i How’s this, Mozart? How's t ched out there is a touched. Nobody can pl. not even the composer h Mozart smiled at the half-excited indig- nation and perplexity of the great mas- ter, and taking the seat he had quitted, An Accidental Honeymoon By DAVID POTTER A sparkling and breezy romance of modern times, the scenes laid in Maryland. The plot is refreshingly novel and delightfully handled, The heroine is one of the “ fetchingest ” little persons in the realms of fiction. Marginal decorations on each page. 12mo, ornamental cloth, $1.35 net; postpaid $1.50. Eight illustrations in cclor by GEORGE W. GAGE A Sensitive Plant By PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY Reat terior traveli upon 3 one 1 them door: Later disrob tub an gan to struck the instrument with such an air of self-assurance that Haydn began to think himself duped. Running along the ple passages, he came to that part her had pronounced im- With an In: luction by Edmund Gosse eee An attractive holiday edition of Shelley's beautiful poem. Are ae tistically bound, and containing about thirty illustrations in color. Ce Handsomely boxed, 8vo, cloth, gilt top, $4.50 net. rater. Illustrated in color by CHAS. ROBINSON In Chateau Land ANNE HOLLINGSWORTH WHARTON edge of the whole truth about self and sex andtheir || 4} Again, asin her “Italian Daysand Ways” relation to life and health. and in “An English Honeymoon,” Tale poeniedee does not Miss Wharton takes a merry igently of itself, iends i nor correctly from ordinary rty of friends upon a pleasure trip. every-day sources, This time it is through the storied cha- teaux of Touraine that the travellers SEXOLOGY journey. Twenty-five full-page illustra- ass Hons in duo-tone. Large 12mo, decorated iustvatea) cloth, gilt top, $2. et; i Se AOD, imparts in a clear, i 5 Pi idea net; postpald £2 15 which his te A Happy Marriage Depends largely ona knowl- Should Have. band Should Chronicles of Fairyland Hans Andersen’s Fairy Tales y FERGUS HUME Beautifully i ji ‘ i! és ly illustrated in color by Maria dheiile ike Tioseated cae by Maen Fa | L. Kick. "Decorated Tining-papers. ” Octavo, I, Octavo, decorated cloth, $1.50. decorated cloth, $1.50. f Should Impai ito Her Daughter. ‘a Wite should Have. volume, Ilustrated, $2, postpald. Omer Peeples Opinions'' and Tabie of Concents Write for Puritan Pub. Co., 776 Perry Bidg., Phila., Pa. comicbooks Meal