Life, 1913-05-08 · page 47 of 48
Life — May 8, 1913 — page 47: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Pabst Blue Ribbon beer advertisement** featuring a bearded gentleman holding a glass, captioned "Friends for Forty Years" and "The Beer of Quality." However, the satire lies in the accompanying **mock obituary** for "Mr. Grabiton Spende." The text ironically praises a man whose life was devoted to "dissipation" (excess and debauchery) and cabaretgoing, while simultaneously revealing his stinginess toward employees and his exploitation of working people. The joke is the contradiction: he's eulogized as "worthy and beloved" while the obituary plainly documents his moral failings—he never paid workers more than legally required, and his vast wealth will fund a home for "flippant chorus girls." This appears to be **Life magazine's satirical critique** of wealthy industrialists who accumulated fortunes through exploitation while maintaining respectable public images. The pairing with a beer advertisement creates additional irony about working-class vices versus elite hypocrisy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
that what net? hich she 1 be- can ted.” vith- he cost foreign esented rported asions. re Books Received Gerard Skaats Lippincott Co.) "s Log Book, by GU. B (Chas. H. Kerr Co.) Bonoperte, by Karl Marx. Kerr Co.) Ofice Seekers’ Blue Book, by Wilbur G. Miller. Litle Thank You, vy (G. P. Putnam's Sons.) Our Neighbors: The Ja, Goodrich. (F. G. T. P. O'Connor. ese, by Jo- ph K Brown & Co 3) China and Young America, by re (FG. Brown & Co. 5 cents.) The Case of Oscar Slater, by A Conan Doyle. (Geo. H. Doran Co. 50 cents.) The Snap Dragon, by Horace Hazel tine, (Desmond FitzGerald. $1.28:) Perry. (A. C Co. $1.35.) sof Dr, Stanchon Bacon. (D. Appleton The Strange by Josephine D. & Co. $1.30.) Uncle Travels, by R. Garis. (R. F. Fenno & Co.) Buddy and Brighteyes Pigg, by Wow ard R. Garis, CR. FE. John Cave, by W. B & Co. $1.25.) G. Badger. $1 Howard Viggily’s ‘enno & Co.) Trites, (Duffield by Hope Gladden. (R Lyric, by Felix E » Mifilin Co Eden Phillpotts. 35.) Schel- $1.50.) , Brown & Co. Lady Pegg Enchanted Island No one can wholly describe it. Its appeal is too varied. It bas been called sil NORWAY AND ITALY IN ONE Butitismore. It is the mountains of New Hampshire, the lakes of Italy, the deep woods, the cliff drives of Riviera, the fiord country of Norway, and the Maine sea- shore—all on this wonderful island. Its shores are the scenes of perha| shores ps the most joyous summer life in Rmnerica—at luxurious Bar Harbor, at less formal South- west, Northeast, and Seal Harbors. Every summer sport—sailing, yachting, bathing, tenni: If, ivi i climbing. is, golf, driving, mountain The social environment is fa- Nowhere are gathered ore delightful people. dof accommodation nthotels to moderate- ding-bouses. Send for FREE BOOKLET . Desert, Inle of Enchantment” Address Vacation Bureau THE NEW LAND LINES Room$30So. Station, Boston, ‘Mass, progress and was a popular figu family, but he was likewise good to many others houscholds have been bereft of a uncompromising friend of all capit of a kindly and open-hearted disposition, he never paid an employee any more than he The bulk of his vast wealth will go to found a home for was actually compelled to. flippant chorus girls in the heart THE WILLIAMS PRINTING COMPANY, the death of Mr. Grabiton Spende we lost one of our most worthy citizens. Throughout his entire career of dissipation, he took a ke: An Obituary and beloved n interest in Not only was he good to his dit is believed that many Spende was an ire at all the cabarets. as well loving and generous supporter. Mr alistic grafts, and it was his proud boast that, although of the Great White Way. New york comicbooks.com