Life, 1914-02-19 · page 30 of 40
Life — February 19, 1914 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **light satirical humor** typical of early 20th-century Life magazine—social observation rather than hard political commentary. **"The City Child"** jokes about urban children's detachment from geography: a girl understands the Rocky Mountains only when her father compares them to Fifth Avenue, suggesting privileged city kids know only their own neighborhoods. **"Mary's Animal Show"** satirizes the Edwardian fashion for elaborate fur garments. The poem catalogs a fashionable woman covered in exotic furs (Persian lamb, mink, ermine, sable) and jokes that she's so thoroughly adorned with animal skins that Nature itself is "skinned"—a subtle jab at both wasteful consumption and animal welfare (note the attribution to the *National Humane Review*). **"Penalty of Distinction"** inverts class expectations: a dignified laborer in shirtsleeves enjoys freedom of speech and movement, while a wealthy businessman (wearing a top hat) is imprisoned by social obligation and must work sixteen-hour days. The **Thermoid brake advertisement** is unrelated commercial content. Overall: gentle mockery of city manners, fashion excess, and class pretense.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The City Child My small Suzanne, who has recently begun to study geography, came to din- ner from her home work the other eve- ning with a puzzled look. “ Daddy,” she said, “I don't exactly understand about the Rocky Mountains—what they divide, { mean, Will you explain it to. me, please?” At the end of a rather tailed explanation she exclaimed joy- fully: “Oh, now T understand, Thank you, daddy, You know I al sup posed before that Fifth Avenue divided the East from the West —Harper’s Magazine “Wuere will Mrs, Dobs go now that hoth her daughters are married? To her son-in-law’s house in Birmingham, or to that of her son-in-law in Leeds?” “One wants her in Birmingham and the other wishes she would go to Lecds.” “What dutiful sons-in-law!” “T beg your pardon. The one in Bir- mingham wants her in Leeds; the one in Leeds wants her in Birmingham.” —Tit-Bits. “WHAT [ DO SO ADMIRE ABOUT YOUR WORK, MR, DOBSON, IS THAT YOU PUT SO MUCIT OF YoU F INTO IT!” Mary's Animal Show Mary had a little lamb— 'Twas Persian—on her coat; She also had a mink or two About her dainty throat; A bird of paradise, a tern, And ermine made the hat ‘That perched at jaunty angle On her coiffure, largely “rat”. Her tiny boots were sable topped Her gloves were muskrat, too, Her muff had heads and tails of half The “critters” in the Zoo, And when she walked abroad, I ween, She feared no wintry win At keeping warm, ‘twas plain to She had all Nature “ skinned ’ —National Humane Review. Penalty of Distinction “I represent the dignity of labor,” said the man in his shirt-slceves. “Yes,” replied Mr. Dustin Stax; “and you can work in your shirt-sleeves and speak your mind, and quit work when your regular hours are through. I've got to wear a high hat and guard every word I speak, and kecp busy sixteen hours a day. I represent the labor of dignity.” —IWashington Star. LivR's published every Thurduy, slwnaitancoesly io faited States, Great Mritain, Canada and British Lape is tor sate by all newadealers in Great Britain spd may be oitaived from booksellers ia all the prin Vowessions. $5.00 a yrarin advance. Additional postage to foreiga cocatries in the Postal Union, $1.04 a year: to Canada, © Cents.” Single current copies, 10 cents. hack Bumbers, after three meaths trom date of publication, Scente. Ihawes prior to 1910 out of print. ities of the world.” “The foreiga trade supplied frow LivK London Otic, Rolls Howse, Lrean's But Lenten, B.C. Tae text and dlustrations 6 LAPR are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights ws Great Britain apply to Lave 114 Southampton Row, London, W.C. Prompt metification 4h st of ostress. Safety Demands Brakes That Won't Fail ‘You can’t be sure of your brakes unless your brake lin- ing is 100% dependable. That means—first to dast. Brake lining that fails you in emergency is 100% perilous. by oil, water, gasoline, dirt. Why it is used exclusively -by so many makers of foremost cars, such as the Peerless, Lozier, White, Ameri- can, Fiat, National, Marmon, etc. Thermoid represents 60% more labor and contains 50% more ma- heritios HYDRAULIC GOMPRESseD Brake Lining—100% To be dependable, brake lining must give uniform gripping power clear through—not merely en the outside. Then it remains reliable till worn paper-thin, Such is Thermoid. Cut a strip of Thermoid open. Break open the ordinary. Compare their centers. You can see the difference in gripping power. Hydraulic compression is the reason Thermoid has the most uni- form gripping power. It explains why. a densty is fixed. Why it cannot be burned out—nor affected terial, size for size, than the ordi- nary. Our Guarantee—Thermoid will make good—or awe will. Mr, Automobile Owner: It costs YOU no more to demand Thermoid. Butit means a great deal more toyou. —_ “THERE, MADAM, YOU CAN READILY SEE THE CHARM- ING EFFECT OF THIS WAIST, WHEN WoRN!” THERMOID RUBBER COMPANY, Trenton, N. J. comichooks.qom