Life, 1913-12-04 · page 26 of 112
Life — December 4, 1913 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertisements interspersed with light verse and humor**. The main cartoon (top left) shows a pocket watch labeled "LORD ELGIN" surrounded by figures exchanging Christmas gifts—a straightforward product advertisement using the holiday season as context. The accompanying verses are humorous commentary on gift-giving: - A poem from Ralph Bergengren personifies a gift as something "useful" but unwanted, passed from person to person - A joke distinguishes between a "situation" (what young men desire) and a "job" (what they actually get)—social satire on employment prospects The remaining content advertises luxury goods: Elgin watches, James E. Pepper whisky (claiming consistency since 1780), custom shoes, and Rad-Bridge playing cards. Each ad emphasizes quality and tradition as Christmas gift options. There is no political satire here. The page reflects early-20th-century consumer culture and gendered gift-giving norms (watches for men, smaller watches for women).
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Me always ready to despatch To someone with affection deep, Yes, I shall last, I feel quite sure, Another hundred years or more. Nobody wants me. Why complain? I did not make myself at first. Loved and worn out I'd rather be, But there's one comfort at the worst, I hug it with a miser’s thrift; I am a useful Christmas gift! Ralph Bergengren, Tomy: Pop, what is the difference between a situation and a jo! Tomsty’s Por: A situation, my soa, is generally what a young man asks for; a job is what he gets —Philadelphia Record, Born with tie Republic ji =a LORD ELCIN Lr 'HE time for Christmas gift selection is here again. Therefore it is timely to impress upon you the value and satisfaction of LORD ELGIN as a gift to men and youths, and of LADY ELGIN as a gift to the gentler sex. They are life-gifts. Both of these beautiful Elgin models are remarkable for their evidence of fine workmanship, delicate ad- justment and constant precision. LORD ELGIN is extremely thin, and LADY ELGIN is extremely small and dainty. In every respect they are worthy to bear the time-honored Elgin name. ( he. The ordinary ‘‘com- 6. . mercial’’ whisky is sold in lyin Match an entirely unsatisfactory way. The mere fact that the package Tye 40.000 ledng jewelers of, Aneca~ Eline, many of waehcralt—jin wih vn om, bears.a label that you may be famil- mending LORD ELGIN and LADY ELGIN for gifts. welers are of ripe experience and iar with, in no way insures the qua- Fe ge ae Tod Elec and tone the beset ot a eh ae the movement and case best suited to your requirement. lity of the contents of the package. ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH CO., Elgin, Illinois Our brand, for a cen- | tury and a quarter has had but one claim upon the patronage Mir of discriminating men, i. e.—we have maintained uniform merit. Other whiskies, thru necessity possibly, have ranged from very good to extraordinarily _bad— always under the same label. There is one thing you can always be sure of— James E. Pepper “The Nai National Whisky is as fine liquor today as it was in 1780; it will be just as fine in all the years to come. A Trial Shipment The Useful Gift HE first recipient of me, Then up spake the good Santa Claus, As vaguely I remember, gbter, , because Preserved me in a bureau drawer for play ee Until the next December. And when the month was near its end, Sent me, with greetings, to a friend. I stayed eleven months, and then At Christmas time I moved again. INDIVIDUALITY IN FOOTWEAR Far have I journeyed in my day, Style—Quality — Comfort One of the joys of Life is comfortable feet. Have your shoes made to your order. Our catalogue L. showing over 50 different styles, and measurement blank. Send for it ow. Datance no. E. HAYES Ladies’ Custom Shoes 9-11 West 29th St., N. Y. Abroad as well as here at home, And through this Twentieth Century My fate, I feel, is still to roam. My useful life must ever be Onward from Christmas-tree to tree. I am as fresh as years ago, Each owner takes such care to keep We offer to send four quarts, express prepaid (east of the Rocky Mts.) for $5; with the under- standing that you may use up one quart in testing. If you desire the money re- funded after the test, you need only sk for it. The James E. Pepper Distilling Co. Lexington, Ky.