Life, 1912-11-21 · page 36 of 44
Life — November 21, 1912 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains primarily **advertisements and a satirical short story**, not political cartoons. The main story, "Billie's Poster Lady," is a humorous piece about a woman running a fly-swatting competition at a hospital during what appears to be a disease-control effort. The absurdist joke centers on her treating this public health initiative as a competitive sport—spreading syrup to attract flies and recruiting friends to help, even placing newspaper ads to buy dead flies. The punchline involves a doctor character bringing her flies as a romantic gesture, suggesting she's become locally famous for this unusual enterprise. The advertisements include billiard tables, custom shirts, and notably **Schlitz beer**, which claims physicians prescribe it as a health tonic rather than malt tonics—reflecting pre-Prohibition-era marketing that positioned beer as medicinal. This health claim would be obsolete post-Prohibition and seems quaint today. The page reflects early 20th-century concerns about disease control and contemporary advertising claims now recognized as false or absurd.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Christmas Gift Men Healy: Want! $300 DOWN $300 Per Month ‘Table No. 71—Size 3 x 6 feet Many other etylea and slres, Prices Q15 op, eu easy Lerma, BURROWES Billiard and Pool Tables are practical tables adapted to the most expert play. They are strongly made, beautifully finished, with superb cabinet work. The style illustrated is simple in design, but very strong, with N Mahogany finish and handsome stamped bronze corners. It is a Combination Table—for both Billiards and Pool. The following accessories are included without extra charge: 16 pool balls, 4 48-inch cues, | 36-inch cue. 10 pins for Pin Pool, I triangle, | bridge. | pool bottle, 6 pocket stops, book of tips, cue chalk, sandpaper, ete. 9 euential, but often ia a great convenience. With each Burrowes Table is furnished, free, a set of four hard- wood leveling blocks, for use in mounting oa dining.coom of library table. ‘Our catalog contains many other styles and sizes of tables, at prices from $15 up.on terms of $1 of more down and a tmall amount each month. — Write for the catalog, or order directly from this advertisement. es, E. T, BURKOWES CO., 757 Center Street, Portland, Me. Billie’s Poster Lady She chuckled softly to herself. “So that’s it?” she laughed. “But I wasn’t dancing! The nurses and doc- tors down at the hospital have started a fly-swatting contest and I'm in the lead by two quart jars. You see, we have the wards all clear now, so I have to get them at home. I spread out some syrup and wait until the air is full of them. Then I get to work.” “T wish you success,” ejaculated Billie with a certain sickly collapse of interest. “If I could——” “You might send me some,” she suggested. “I’ve got all my friends working for me. But I must say I am fair about it. Miss Josephs up in Pavilion 7—she buys them. Honest! She's got an ‘ad’ in an evening paper, “Highest prices paid for flies—dead or a . How do you prefer them?” asked Billie politely. “Oh, dead by all means! swered decidedly. There was a knock at the door and a serious looking man with spectacles she an- came in. He looked at Billie in some surprise. The girl blushed beautifully as she took his hat. “Had a hard day, Phil?” she asked. “How'd the operation come off?” He pointed his index finger rever- ently ceilingwards. “Another case of wings,” he said, “but I got these for you, anyhow.” He placed a small white pasteboard box in her hand as Billie edged his way toward the door. Kate Mastzrson, “The Man’s Linen” will be sent to you upon request. It describes the methods used in the making of the highest grade Custom Shirts. Samples of the best Shirtings obtainable and complete designs accompany each book SMITH-ARLINGTON, Albany, N.Y, as a builder of health. Tt is one thing to make pure beer, another to keep it pure. The Brown Bottle keeps Schlitz pure. Physicians and surgeons prescribe Schlitz, instead of malt tonics, The BROWN Bottle § is another step to Keep Pure Beer | It’s only natural that Schlitz should be the home beer. Order a case from your dealer today. See that crown or cork is branded “*Schlitz’”. The Beer _ »- That Made Milwaukee Famous.