Life, 1913-05-01 · page 42 of 48
Life — May 1, 1913 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine is primarily **advertising with one satirical article**. The main content is a humorous essay about the "Minor American Poet"—a fictional literary type who writes forgettable filler material for magazine pages. The satire targets aspiring American poets who claim others are "minor poets" while denying the label themselves, suggesting all such poets are minor but won't admit it. It's gentle mockery of literary pretension and the publishing industry's practice of filling space with mediocre verse. The page is dominated by period advertisements: ventilating fans for summer heat relief, Cheney silk cravats, Cortez cigars, and Chartruse cordial. A brief anecdote about painter John Singer Sargent concludes the page—a witty comeback joke about artistic vanity. The content reflects early 20th-century concerns: summer heat in offices without air conditioning, and self-published aspiring poets padding magazine pages.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
To the Man with a Ventilating Problem You remember what hot weather meant last summer—stifling rooms full of bad air, dulled brains, lagging hands, part of your office or factory unusable during the summer months, You can stop all this at once and forever by installing the Sturtevant ABO. U8. PAT. OFF.) Ventilating Fans Even where conditions are worst these fans will keep a room full of fresh, pure air all summer, either forcing out the bad air or blowing in a steady, cool stream from outdoors. The time to act is now, before hot weather comes, ‘Write us giving size and location of room, whether you wish to drive the fan by belt or electricity, and if by electricity what current you, have—voltage, cycles, phase, etc. Our nearest engineer will advise you of the proper fan to use, There is no obligation or expense to you. TWO TYPES OF FAN The Propeller Type Fans are for use where large volumes of air are to be handled without piping. They are usually placed in top sash of window or in wall or partition, and force the foul air outdoors or into another room. Booklet No. LPS describes u ¢ Fans. Sturtevant Ready-to-Run Ventilating Sets are used when smaller volumes are re- quired, or when it is desirable to remove or supply air a distance through piping. Booklet No. LRS describes these Sets. B. F. Sturtevant Company Hyde Park, Boston, Mass. and all principal cities of the world. Tt Wasn't Like Sargent After All Once when John S. Sargent, the fa- mous painter, was at a banquet a young lady whom he knew very well said to him: “Ob, Mr. Sargent, I saw your latest painting and kissed it because it was so much like you.” “And did it kiss you in return?” “Why, no.” “Then,” said Mr. Sargent, “it was not like me."”—Ladies’ Home Journal. EE the Minor American Poet! If you ask what a Minor Ameri- can Poet is, I will tell you frankly that I do not know. He exists only in the imagination. Or, if you think that you know a Minor American Poet, ask him if he is one and his reply will astonish you. He will tell you that he is not one him- self, but that he knows others who are. A Minor American Poet, therefore, is a man who writes poetry in a minor way but does not know it. All Amer- ican poets are, therefore, minor poets. We do not know how this can be so, and yet it seems to be so. The Minor American Poet (assum- ing that he does exist) spends his time in filling up the spaces on maga- zine pages at the end of stories. Some- times if he happens to know the ad- vertising department, he may fill up a whole page. Ske For your protection and identification of thegenuine Chene Silk Cravats, loo! forthename asillus- trated above. s ' CRAVATS are worn by dis- criminatingdress- ers because of their beautiful color harmony, correct style and real quality of matenal. For your spring wear joose from the new lines of knit and cro- cheted four-in-hands, from the refined as- sortment of imperials and flowing-end four- in-hands made from Cheney Silks (Foulards, Bengalines, Poplins, Failles, etc.) and from tubular cravats in new and varied pattems. At your dealer's. CHENEY BROTHERS Silk Manufacturers 4th Avenue and 18th Street, New York FOR _g MEN OF BRAINS IGARS “MADE AT KEY WEST— ~ j i y Z 4 A HAS STOOD THE TEST OF AGES AND IS STILL THE FINEST CORDIAL EXTANT At Giret-class Wine Merchants, Grocers, Hotels, Cafes. Bitjer & Co.. 45 Broadway, ‘New York, N.Y. Sole Agents for United States, SKSSSNSNSUNENSSSSSSSSANSSSSSSNSS comicbooks.com