Life, 1913-03-06 · page 28 of 72
Life — March 6, 1913 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page documents *Life* magazine's quotation-caption contest for an illustration depicting a shipwrecked man alone on an island who discovers another survivor—creating an unexpected romantic encounter. The winning entry, submitted by Barton G. Levin of Philadelphia, used a passage from Victor Hugo's "The Girl of Otaheite," emphasizing the emotional shock and joy of reunion. The contest received over 15,000 entries across multiple issues. The page lists nineteen finalist quotations from established writers (Byron, Bacon, O.W. Holmes, Edna St. Vincent Millay), demonstrating how *Life* leveraged both literary culture and reader participation for entertainment. One entry was disqualified for technical non-compliance despite its merit. This reflects early-20th-century magazine culture: blending satirical illustration with literary contests that engaged educated readers.
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*LPPE - The Winner in Life’s Contest He believes himself alone on this island, sole survivor of the shipwreck. as one other person was saved, a surprise awaits him. For the quotation (not exceeding fifty words) that best fits this picture, in glish verse or prose, from the published works of any well-known writer, Lire offered a prize of $100. Forget? THE WINNING QUOTATION Can I forget the scented breath Of breezes, sighing of thee in mine ear; But The strange awaking from a dream of death, The sudden thrill to find thee coming near? —Victor Hugo's “ The Girl of Otaheite.” HE winning quotation to the con- test picture reproduced on this page was sent in by BARTON G. LEVIN, 30 South Detaware AVENUE, Puivaverrnia, Pa, This picture was first published in our issue of January 23, and again in the three numbers following. The contest closed at noon on Saturday, February h There were received in all 15,461 an- swers, over two thousand of them having reached us on the closing day. From all of the answers, sixty-eight were selected among the probabilities. Each of the five judges took a sep- arate list of these sixty-eight titles and independently selected five which in his judgment were the best. This re- sulted in twenty titles. From this list the final award was made by the judges. Several of the best titles were not considered, as they were duplicated hundreds of tim The titles finally considered by the judges were (omit- ting the winning title) the nineteen that follow: “Hail to the welcome shout! the friendly speech! When hand grasps hand uniting on the beach; The smile, the question, and the quick reply, And the heart's promise of festivity.” Byron, “The Corsair,” IV. “The good things that belong to ad- versity are to be admired.” Bacon, Of Adversity. *“T£ you could find an uninhabited coral-reef island, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and put a handsome young fellow ashore upon it—a year afterward you would find him walk- ing under the palm trees, arm and arm with a pretty woman. Where would she come from? O, that’s the miracle!” O. W. Holmes. Duplicate of the above. “A last long line of silver rain, A sky grown clear and blue again. And as I looked a quickening gust Of wind blew up to me and thrust Into my face a miracle.” Edna St. Vincent Millay, “ Renas- cence.” *This quotation was so favorably considered that in the first reading it was placed among the probabilities; but it was afterwards barred out because it failed to comply with the conditions. comicbooks.com