Life, 1914-04-23 · page 39 of 44
Life — April 23, 1914 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct elements: **Left side:** A poem titled "Ballade of Old Lovers" by M.W. It's a nostalgic, melancholic verse about women reflecting on men they didn't marry—listing how their romantic prospects turned out (one became a congressman, another a drunkard, another bald). The refrain "Here's to the men we did not wed!" suggests wry acceptance of paths not taken. This is sentimental magazine poetry typical of the era. **Center:** A full-page advertisement for Pennsylvania Oilproof Vacuum Cup Tires, emphasizing durability (4,500 miles guaranteed) and waterproofing—practical selling points for early 1910s automobiles when tire reliability was a significant consumer concern. **Bottom right:** A small cartoon labeled "A Wall Street Equation" showing a formula: (woman in dress) + (hat) = (woman in pointed hat) − (small figure). This appears to satirize fashion trends, possibly mocking women's adoption of increasingly elaborate or absurd hat styles on Wall Street. The surrounding ads (mineral water, perfume) are standard period advertising. The page is primarily literary and commercial rather than political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ballade of Old Lovers 3 SBo0%% re HERE have they gone, each de- os \ Pen Tepes ie ticdined! aud ltalde Gok - These’ kes Alone lyon wet or stay, —are guaranteed riot t All of the lads who begged that we ye elses returnables it 4500 Love and honor them and obey? 4 ew. lees ra Nisers Finest of earth, or common clay, + fproot that this figure Men we pursued, or men we fled, : ) Bold to demand or mild to pray— IS Ue Here's to the men we did not wed! Jack has a wife and children three, Pride of his cheerful heart, they say, (He and his heart he swore we'd see Shut in the tomb without delay!) Jimmy to Asia's made his wa Carroll’s a crank and Duncan's dead, ‘ Algernon’s golden locks are gray— Here's to the men we did not wed! Arthur in Congress makes his plea, Horace's wits have gone astray, Guy's as rich as a man can be, Tom's a drunkard, and drives a dray; Billy is bald and plump and gay, worry and ot ere (Once he was sad and slim instead) 7 Pea nentad incor Start 1914 on VACUUM CUPS Dealers so Here's to the men we did not wed! Prince of our dreams in girlhood’s May, Ere the white rose of youth was shed Matters not whom we chose to-day, You are the man we shall not wed! MW. CONTREXEVILLE SOURCE DU PAVILLON WATER A PALATABLE x WATER YOR EVERY. RL POR THOSE WITH” 1D BAUS YOU DO NOT HAVE URIC ACID TROUBLES RHEUMATISM GOUT GRAVEL IF YOU USE CONTREXEVILLE WATER ~ASK YOUR PHYSICIAN— Alassfut before breakfast and another 1 rellring lor 2 short period and you will belie in Contrexeville water | 1 | Get it at your Grocer or Dragyist and wey MORRIS & SCHRADER, Distributors 8 Barclay Street, New York —— ee ..ROUN! D ee WORLD | Westward, 2S SS SS EVETTE-novsicant just announced by Houbi master of per hae an alle ailur- fa refined as the ing. Your Petfumer has itor will get i Send for Small Sample Bottle, 20¢ PARK & TILFORD, Agents, NEW YORK Susu Sisne A WALL STREET EQUATION A ween comicbooks.com