Life, 1914-03-05 · page 10 of 60
Life — March 5, 1914 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and poetry**, not political satire. The left side features a large **Kranich & Bach piano advertisement** emphasizing quality construction and multi-generational durability. Supporting imagery shows people playing pianos. The right side contains a poem titled **"Nothing Doing"** by Richard Crosby—a complaint about editorial rejection. The poet laments that editors won't buy his work anymore, dismissing his old "peasant tales" as valueless. He sarcastically lists what editors *do* want: sensational stories, "True Love's Course," divorce scandals, and shocking plots. The poem expresses frustration with changing magazine market demands. Below are smaller advertisements for **Cortez Cigars** and **Old Overholt Rye whiskey**, plus a cartoon showing a child with a "ball and chain" toy. The page reflects early 20th-century consumer advertising and literary frustration with editorial gatekeeping.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
mm Matching veneers is an art that we do not care to entrust to outsiders. The Music of Coming Generations Only good pianos retain their musical values for generations, and the most costly instrument is the one that be- ‘We know what Kranich ind ‘Decause we laminate them, gl them and shape them,” © comes a mere shell of regrets in a few years. Permanence is assured by constant watchful- ness of every detail of construction—by supervision such as is given to no other piano so thor- oughly and systematically as to & Bach ims of our grand Ultra-Qualhty PIANOS and PLAYER PIANOS Supreme in Tone and Artistic Merit To maintain their matchless quality we build Kranich & Bach Pianos and Player Pianos from start to finish under the watchful care of one super- vising head and under one roof, where we can be certain that nothing but the best goes into them. The Kranich & Bach Pianos and Player Pianos thatare being madeby these men in: the pictures are the instruments that the children and grandchildren of the pre- sent generation will play and be proud to play for years to come, In purchasing them you practice true economy. Sold on convenient monthly terms. “Fifty years of Quality Making” is the title of an in- teresting booklet that will be mailed on request. 237 E. 23rd St. New York City TTT Ome ror aa 08 nT Nothing Doing — CANNOT write the old stuff I wrote some years ago; No editors will buy it now, They say it’s dull and slow. I used to reel off pleasant tales | Of innocent intent; I cannot sell that sort to-day, They aren’t worth a cent. I cannot write the old stuff, The editors won't stand For any half-way decent plot, They say there’s no demand. If it’s a tale of wedded life, Instead of True Love's Course, They want a handsome Testium Quid, And consequent divorce. I cannot write the old stuff, The public frankly raves O’er studies of decadent cubs Or glimpses of white slaves. And editors don’t hesitate To say they want a tale ( Presented with a treatment strong Of characters quite frail. I cannot write the old stuff, I can’t get any checks For anything that’s decent work And doesn't reck of sex. eames , As I won't write eugenic guff, ene Or harp on hygiene, * I simply cannot sell my stuff To any magazine. Richard Crosby. August U4, 1816, “Today being Saturday. I drove to town to ba} od tht Old Overholt Rye FOR MEN OF BRAINS “‘Same for 100 years” 1G ARS A pure, mellow whiskey whose 7 unvarying excellence and delicate none “MADE AT KEY WEST TE ecu eeck sce pert : i rear. rial mex ed in charred oak bar- of tl! ae jistilled and bottled in § wher " “OVERHOLT & CO. tee made treproot ta" ( os A OV Tebareh, Pas It Lecory® pricter $19.50 end Hil | char, Postal brings illustrated 6+-p | ion, catalog 5 z l ANOTHER BALL AND CHAIN FOR HIM