Life, 1913-10-16 · page 41 of 44
Life — October 16, 1913 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an advertisement page for cars and other products, but it opens with a humorous essay satirizing ferryboats. The satire uses the ferryboat as a metaphor for a particular type of person—likely someone aimless, indecisive, and lacking purpose. The ferryboat is personified as having a "feminine temperament," constantly going back and forth without accomplishment ("decides to go across and then... comes back to where it started"). It's described as willing to take "almost anybody aboard, from a society queen to a cook lady"—suggesting a non-discriminatory but ultimately useless service. The essay culminates in dark philosophy: quoting Spencer on morality only beginning after survival struggles cease, then pessimistically suggesting the world must "become infinitely worse" before improving. This mockery of aimlessness and futility sits ironically next to earnest advertisements for cars, garages, and electric automobiles—products promising genuine progress and purpose. The juxtaposition itself may be part of the satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ferryboats FERRYBOAT is a water vehicle that works with wheels and never gets anywhere. It decides to go across and then, not liking the place, or changing its mind (for it appears to have a feminine temperament), it comes back to where it started. Even this, however, does not suit the ferryboat, and so it does the same _ thing over again. A ferryboat has no taste.. It is not like some people we have heard of— a respecter of persons—but is willing to take almost anybody aboard, from a society queen to a cook lady. Ferryboats are fond of rivers. They appear to have a feeling that every river they come in contact with likes to be crossed, and so they keep on crossing the river, and the river, con- cealing its displeasure as best it may, tries to run away from the ferryboat, and succeeds. This excites’ the ambition of the ferryboat, which tries over and over again to accomplish its sinister pur- pose. No ferryboat has any high ideal in life or accomplishes any special good. It takes people from SHIRT STUDS The amos Laer utente bach ney eee and taitonbeles intantly and lock themscives without pou ing or poles. "YHistade-mask on every Laret —SPuw ie your euat- astce that f an accdest huppape r Sa bs den een cal se ana. - Writ ie fe! eka Write fer Hind Lions ie coger New York bes ; moor srey ~=GARAGES corer, For Automobiles and Motorcycles | ’ $30 and Up} Easy to put up. Portable. | All sizes. Postal brings Now comes the season when Comfort depends on the car Five-Passenger Coupe, $2900 > f. )) Here is the car that you will like—this car of delightful com- fort; easy-riding and service- ability—this car of grace and sturdy build. Spacious; lux- uriously appointed ; accommo- dates five persons comfortably—all 5 passenger coupe body: wheel base, % inches : left-side drive, with horizontal lever control from either front or rear seat. Six speeds for- ward and three reverse. Regular equipment orland Either Front or Electric Rear Seat Drive facing forward. Exclusive Borland arrangement of brake levers elimi- nates the opening in floor where cold draughts enter in most electrics. Neither wind or rain, snow or sleet can mar your enjoyment. The BorlandElectric gives a superlative de- gree of comfort in all sorts of weather, Jincludes **YEX{DE" batteries; standard makes of cushion or special pneumatic elec- tric tires. Price, equipped ready for service, $2900. May we send you the handsome Borland Poster Book? Just write and say so. The Borland Grannis Company 312 East Huron Street Chicago, Illinois ,,,) latest illustrated catalog. | one place to another when they would probably be better off where they were. Its highest aim in life appears to be to make as many slips as possible. As Spencer holds, absolute morality can only begin where the struggle for existence has ceased. This is not new. The appalling prospect is this—How infinitely worse the world must become before it begins to improve at all! for Men and Women $O.OO Sererion in Every Way to o the Ordinary Low Price Delivery Mackinaw Cost.” Hand- Prepaid Tailored throughout. Be £5, $5.50 MUST please you or we will refund pall ‘Suite Outitions To?, Sioteen and Chases It’s Free jain Bureety Saranee Lake, 8. ¥ Leonard's = New Catalog 3: W. C. LEONARD & CO. comicbooks.com