Life, 1913-07-24 · page 24 of 40
Life — July 24, 1913 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces mocking contemporary American attitudes: **"Two Songs"** contrasts commercialism with authenticity—a carefully crafted song for profit fails, while a carelessly sung song for pure joy succeeds and earns money anyway. The irony: genuine art outsells calculated work. **"A Reservation"** jokes about wealthy beachgoers' entitlement. A snobbish hotel guest demands a private bath; the proprietor sarcastically suggests he "reserve" the ocean—implying the guest's presumption is absurd. **"The Houseboat"** section satirizes the leisure-class trend of houseboat ownership. It mocks the contradiction that houseboats serve as summer retreats where men escape their families while claiming family purposes. References to "chorus girls," "champagne," and "water-wagon" suggest dissolute behavior. The mythological references (Noah, Charon) add wit—comparing houseboats to both civilization's origins and the mythological ferryman of the dead. Overall, the page ridicules American consumerism, class pretension, and moral hypocrisy regarding leisure and family.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Two Songs day I wrought a little song, For honor and for gain; ] labored on it ever long With care and skill and pain. But when within the market-place To sing it I made bold, It brought me not one gladdened face, Nor any fame nor gold. Another day I wrought a song, For love of singing sweet, And oh, the quickly hasting throng! And oh, the dancing feet! And oh, the praises loud and strong. The gold I needs must take, For that blithe song, that careless song I sang for singing’s sake! Reina Melcher Marquis. A Reservation AUGHTY GENTLEMAN § (at seashore hotel): Can I have a private bath? Proprietor: Certainly, sir. At what time of day would you like to reserve the ocean? THE SEARCH FOR BURIED TREASURE “sayl BILLY, D'YE S'POSE THEY'LL TAKE SPANIS DOUBLOONS AN’ PIECES OF EIGHT AT THE SODA FOUNTAL RIGGS: I sce that Hilpin took a course in short story ing and has been quite successful at it. What do you mean? I happen to know that The Houseboat he hasn't been able to write a successful short story. OUSEBOATS now begin to dot the landscape. “My dear boy, that’s nothing. He’s gone into business The houseboat is a place where a man secures his for himself as a teacher in short story writing.” family for the summer months while he gocs away and enjoys himself elsewhere. Houseboats are, however, un- der different conditions sometimes used for other pur- poses. Most of them are floating week-ends. A houseboat is a canal boat with a college education. When not filled with one’s family, it sometimes carries a crew of chorus girls and a champagne ballast. The main idea of the houseboat is a place where everybody can speed up without getting into deep water. Not satisfied with Adam's fall, and his subsequent demeanor, Noah started the first houseboat, otherwise known as a water-wagon, and made civilization the pos- sible or impossible thing that it is to-day. If it hadn't been for Noah there would be no child labor or multi- millionaires. Every little houseboat has a leaning of its own, Cleopatra was the first woman who owned a house- boat. The oldest houseboat, however, is owned and run by a man named Charon. He spends his time in nagging TWO BIRDS AT ONE SHOT his guests, all of whom are transients. comicbooks.com