Life, 1912-03-28 · page 39 of 50
Life — March 28, 1912 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on magazine writing conventions and gender in early 20th-century publishing. The main narrative (left side) features "Miss Flea," an aspiring female writer, receiving cynical advice from a ghostly mentor figure. The satire targets several points: **The Satire's Points:** - Female writers were expected to write about subjects they knew nothing about ("roués") - Magazine editors valued sensationalism over authenticity ("taste like skim milk") - There was an open secret that many supposedly male-authored sentimental magazine stories were actually written by women - Writers needed to adopt artificial, "staccato" styles rather than genuine prose The humor culminates in Miss Flea's suggestion that she write about Henry James—presumably absurd for a magazine context requiring "ginger" and sensationalism. The surrounding advertisements (Old Overholt Rye, Binner Corset, 20th Century Limited train, Quixo adhesive) represent standard commercial content of the era, with no satirical connection to the main article visible.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“But surely one cannot write upon a subject unless it is deeply interesting to him?” questioned Miss Flea timidly. “Poor crude child!” the spirit smiled indulgently. “However,” with a sigh, “I have promised to make your for- tune for you.” He drew a note book from his pocket and turned the pages, “The first ‘best bet’ on my list is for a serial which I assure you will be eagerly snapped up, ‘The Renuncia- tions of a Reformed Roué.’” “But I do not know anything about roués,” she cried. “All the better,” encouragingly. “You will bring a freshness of treat- ment to the theme which will be very taking. It will look like absinthe and taste like skim milk. It will catch the reader with its salacious intimations and yet father may read it aloud to the boys and girls around the red lamp.” “But suppose it should be discovered that a woman wrote it?” “It won't be,” the ghost spoke con- fidently. “Poor innocent, don’t you know that most of the soggy soul-his- tories of yellow streaked women which adorn our magazines are written by men?” “Your stuff,” he went on, “must be as hysterically staccato as you can get it. Inhabitant says ~> ga “The last drink is as good as the first—and I've used it all my life”— Overholt Rye “* Same for 100 years”’ A mature bonded whis- key aged in the wood—light body, exquisite aroma— rich flavor—worth asking for by name A, Overholt & Co. Pittsburgh, Pa. FAMOUS CORSET ‘The Binner Boneless Corset moulds the form in the most approved fashion of to-day. 18 East 45th Street, New York The Grip of Business New York and Boston clasp hands daily with Chicagoand do business face to face, via the imited d The famous “‘Overnight Train” that saves a business day between New York, or Boston, and Chicago. Ly. New York 4.00 p.m. Lv. Boston 1.30 p.m. Ar. Chicago 8.55 a.m. “Water Level Ly. Chicago 2.30 p.m. Ar. Boston 11.56 a.m. Ar. New Ycrk 9.25 a.m. You must get a whole striking, star- ing, spectacular flash-light picture into a sentence. You may write newspaper English, magazine English, best-seller English, but never attempt this so- called good English. I can teach you how to write a snappy magazine arti- cle, brim-full of ginger, on any sub- ject. Suggest the most impossible one you can think of.” Miss Flea pondered. “Henry James,” she said at last. (Concluded on page 657) 655 In Dottle, with airtight screw top. ‘Does not stick to the fingers, A powerful mineral cement, not a fish of aniinal glue, No odor to it, malgndt t2 stay mended, wood, foot celluloid, raober aid Mack ead," Sticks unlike materials. to- ber, gach a8 wood aud etal » af all stores. t eet ere, fr fal ze Dott WALTER JANVIER, 629 Cana! Bt.New York. Sole Agt. for U.8.A comicbooks.com