Life, 1914-04-09 · page 31 of 40
Life — April 9, 1914 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **satirical humor pieces and advertisements** typical of early 20th-century Life magazine. **"My First Year" by Leonidas Teether:** A comic monologue from the perspective of an infant boasting of accomplishments during his first year—controlling household staff, bullying the doctor, cutting a tooth, and generating conversation. The joke is the baby's absurdly grandiose self-assessment, culminating in the claim he'll become President "some day." A brief anecdote about a girl named Susie embarrassed by her Latin composition adds gentle domestic humor. **"Tricks Wanted":** A satirical "help wanted" ad from New York hotels soliciting dishonest schemes to extract money from guests—overcharging, forcing unnecessary services, and exploiting strangers. The humor lies in the brazen, tongue-in-cheek admission of widespread hotel fraud. **Advertisements:** Oakland automobiles and Dayton Airless Tires dominate the page, using contemporary marketing language emphasizing quality, engineering, and performance. The page reflects early 1900s attitudes toward infant behavior, gender relations, and commercial ethics—presented through satire rather than serious criticism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
E’ RES My First Year By Leonidas Teether. Gitee Teta N all due modesty, I wish to make a brief record of my achievements during my first year in household office. I control the heads of all depart- ments. I have bulldozed the doctor and nurse I have cut one tooth. I have furnished an unfailing topic of conversation, I have been written up by a socio- logical expert. I have put the local drug store on its feet. I have helped out the gas company. I have achieved a first-class reputa- “THE CAR WITH A CONSCIENCE” ran aie wh } * Oakland nipaatee Tests on quality not a ave inaugurated a new milk sup- i quant. t rests on scientific weight T have put down several severe in- listribution and proper balance. It surrections of colic. rests on harmonious, useful and beauti- While I am not yet on my feet, I ful body lines, on comfortable and lux- expect to be President—some day. urious appointments. It rests on a i asily ant “My daughter Susie is getting quite capacity and power to doe ly and an excellent Latin scholar,” said the gracefully the things required. proud father to a visitor. “Here is one In the car, you instinctively feel that the of her exercise books, and you can look Oakland has great reserve power— great flex- for yourself.” ibilty—is quick to respond—has plenty of Susie blushed scarlet, and made a wild aT speed for emergency. grab at the book. She was too late, and £ . i jsilorre Oakland book A tells you in detail about the power- the delignted visitor read aloud to the fal sibeaticelese ‘Oakland soetoey: the ‘Delos acin fort ae lighting and ignition system, the German silver V- = ponies, Kiseibis theped radiator let ide drive, center control the new Sweet girliorum ; stream line bodies with theie large higgage compart. Girlibus likibus, ments and numerous up-to-date refinements. Wanti_ somorum.” Made in a wide range of body designs and horse —Tit-Bits. power ratings in Sizes and Fours Prices, fally equipped, $1150 to $2600 fob facory — - — Oakland Motor Car Company RIDE ON SOMETHING aa SUBSTANTIAL Tue Dayton Aintess Tires Compared with these all other tires must be considered as being in the experimental stage. Users have written a booklet for us. Send for it. oar / Model 6-48, the Light Six, S-passenger, $1785 Get the facts. " = ee 6 0. b factory Then you can easily sell them to yourself, ° | Tricks Wanted A million dollars in Dayton Airless ANTED—By New York hotels. Tricks, devices and schemes for extracting a M service now. greater amount of money from both new patrons and old. Any kind of low- down hold-up will do to practice on the strangers within our doors. Noth- THE DAYTON RUBBER ing so brazen we will not try if sufficiently remunerative. New excuses for tips MANUFACTURING Co. New pretexts for forcing upon guests the attention of disagreeable flunkeys. New subterfuges for charging different prices for food and drinks at different times of day 1005 KISER ST., DAYTON, OHIO and in different parts of the hotels. New possibilities for rake-offs on telephones, taxi- i Ergederey 2123 Michigan Ave. cabs, baggage, theatre tickets and other services. Clever little ideas for getting more + money out of people than they think it is going to cost. Address National Asso comicbooks.com