Life, 1912-02-15 · page 34 of 44
Life — February 15, 1912 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes advertising with serialized fiction. The dominant Pierce Motorcycle ad emphasizes engineering durability—"strength, speed, simplicity, symmetry"—targeting practical buyers concerned with reliability on poor roads. The cartoon "A Delay" satirizes turn-of-the-century gender dynamics and courtship. A woman (Miss Penstyle) agrees to marry Arthur Hopeworthy *conditionally*—he must exercise and build muscle, as she finds him insufficiently robust. The humor derives from her frank, almost bossy requirement that he physically transform himself before marriage. After six months of effort, he returns, presumably muscular. The joke reflects period anxieties about masculine vigor and female agency in mate selection. The accompanying Evans' Ale advertisement reinforces this theme, claiming the beverage builds strength and nerve. At bottom, an advertisement for John Ames Mitchell's novel "Pandora's Box" promotes it as romantic fiction with "engrossing action."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Strength, Speed, Simplicity, Symmetry are distinctive properties of Pierce Motorcycles. The life of a motorcycle is in its frame and engine. HE Pierce Frame is constructed of steel tubing 31%” in diameter. It will not break or buckle and is built to stand all kinds of rough roads and hard use. Broken frames, the cause of frequent complaint in other motorcycles, are unknown in the Pierce. q The Pierce Single has a § H. P. fourcycle engine, fitted with roller bearings, mechanical valves, mag- nevo ignition and free engine clutch. This is also made to last, not being of ths excessively high spe type. Although not intended for racing, it has a speed of §5 miles an hour and power to climb hills that other singles cannot. The Pierce Single is a motorcycle with the power and road strength of a twin cylinder and the serviceability and simplicity of a single. A maximum of efficiency and a minimum of trouble and expense for repairs. q This company also manufactures the famous Pierce Four Cylinder, the most complete motorcycle made. Also Pierce Bicycles famous for over twenty years, and ridden by all the well-known racing men. Motorcycle catalogue ‘LF’ on application. The Pierce Cycle Company :: Buffalo, N. Y. Pacific Coast Branch, Oakland, Cal. could scarcely believe her eyes. Was this the delicate, ethereal young man who had parted from her only a few months before? Without a word he removed his coat and stood in the door with his gym- nasium shirt on. He raised his mighty arm, and a mountain of muscle formed on top. He took a breath and his gigan- tic chest obscured his chin. Then he folded his arms quietly and gazing at the girl he loved, said: “ Are you satisfied?” She looked at him quite critically for a moment or two and then asked: A Delay “Tam perfectly willing to marry you —except that—” Miss Penstyle blushed and hesitated. But Arthur Hopeworthy urged her on. “Don't hesitate to tell me the truth, dear,” he said, “ you know it is best in the long run. Then we'll thoroughly un- derstand cach other.” “Well, then, Arthur, it's this way: You know you are not very heavy—you are, in fact, rather slight.” Arthur braced up. “But I am perfectly well,” he ex- claimed. “T know that; but you have never taken much exercise. Now I, on the other hand, am inclined to be, well— after a while, dear, I shall be larger than you. What I would suggest is that you take some systematic course of exercise to build you up.” Arthur’s face flushed with pride. “T understand,” he said, briefly, “ and I shall obey you. When you see me next, | Evans’ ij what human will can do shall have been H done, Farewell!” - | Ale _— It was six months later. The sound | esta the body in allits parts—heart, nerves fa step w in 1 | nd muncles. Its constituents build tip waste ; Sage Mee ives Beard oo) the wale, Te | nd promote assimilation of other foods, door opened and a man entered. As | Have you a supply at home? she gazed at him, Miss Edith Penstyle | . HW. EVANS & SONS, Hudson, N.Y. be nerves and the body will take care of Itself. 362 PANDORA’S BOX There is humor militant in Mr. Mitchell's graceful, tender and witty love story, Pandora's Box. —Chicago Evening Post. A pure love romanc: with engrossing action and an original plot. —Chicago Record Herald. By JOHN AMES MITCHE: Author of "Amos Judd,” “The Pines of Lory,"etc. Editor of Life. Four illustrations by the author. $1.30 met; prepaid $1.12 FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY Publishers New York comicbooks.com