Life, 1914-06-18 · page 40 of 44
Life — June 18, 1914 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine combines advertisements with a satirical book review. The main content is a rhymed review of Theodore Dreiser's novel *The Titan*, mocking its protagonist Frank Cowperwood—a wealthy financier based on real robber barons of the Gilded Age. The satire targets Cowperwood's serial infidelities and moral corruption. The reviewer, Arthur Guiterman, catalogs his numerous affairs with named and "discreetly nameless" society women, suggesting the behavior is becoming absurdly excessive ("Mormonistic"). The final stanza critiques Dreiser's plan for a trilogy about this character, suggesting one book is already too much for the public to endure. The surrounding advertisements—for Pears' Soap and Bowser oil storage systems—are period typical and unrelated to the satire. The page reflects *Life*'s tradition of mixing commercial content with literary and social commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ET IRESE Society Ladies know the value and charm of a beautiful complexion. Many go to great expetoe to obtain “washes” and other artificial “aids” to beauty. Natural “aids” are best, however, and the most natural and most beneficial of all is Pears’ Soap which acts upon the skin in a purely hygienic way, improving and preserving its beauty and at the same time stimulating the pores to healthful respiration, Thus a natural pink and white complexion is assured—a complexion that will attract admira- tion and bear investigation—a complexion where there is no artificiality to be betrayed. Pears is the perfect cosmetic, because it is composed of entirely pure ingredients and pos- sesses those special emollient qualities whereby the texture of the skin is softened, refined and beautified. Pears is also the most economical of toilet soaps. The World’s Best Beauty Soap Rhymed Reviews The Titan (By Theodore Dreiser. John Lane Co.) FRASK COWPERWOOD (“The Financier” Recounts his Philadelphia doings), Was forced to find a larger sphere For golden games and furtive woo- ings. Chicago seemed a likely town For one who had the nerve to chance it, So there he camped and won renown By grabbing lines of local transit. His Philadelphia wife untied Their marriage knot, with cause a-plenty, And bright Aileen became his bride, A handsome girl of six-and-twenty. But prim Chicago’s Upper Clan Pronounced Aileen’s career alarm- ing; They cut her dead; and Frank began To find some other ladies charming. Twas rough on tried and true Aileen To learn of rivals, thin and chubby, Like* Cicely, and Josephine, And Antoinette, and Ella Hubby. And dashing Mrs Hosmer Hand, And Flo, and Stephanie the shame- less, And Rita Sohlberg sweet and bland, And many more, discreetly nameless. Chicago's magnates did not like The way he stole their wives and daughters, And caused his pirate bark to strike A snag in wild financial waters, But Frank, grown older, longed for peace, And rich beyond the need to plunder, He went abroad with Berenice, A lass of twenty years or under. Your hero’s morals must be lax To make a novel realistic, But when the ladies come in packs It’s getting much too Mormonistic. To tell his tale, a Trilogy Is what the Author says he’s planned for. It seems to me a Bi-logy Is all the Public ought to stand for, Arthur Guiterman. When your car lags doesn't pick quick, don't blame it, or the gasolene. Blame the way your gaso- lene is handled. Get a Bowser pump and under. ground storage Then see—feel—the difference in the ity of your the added mileage— pits wick’ e convenience in hand- utter safety—the sll ‘round quality Safe Oil Storage Systems have raised the efficiency of the ga derground in a Bowser tank the ga: kept clean and safe. Pipes any distance to the farage. No loss through evaporation. No jeakage. No mishandling. Every drop auto- matically measured and accounted for. All sizes easily installed. Small cost. Also For Stores and Factories From Kerosene, Paint and Lubricating Oil Sclf-measuring Equipment for the store to big Individual Centralized Storage and Filtering Systems for million dollar Power Plants, Clean oil. Safe, convenient handling. None lost. None wasted. Thirty years Bowser experience back of the 500 and more different Bowser Oil Handling Devices. Over a million users attest to Bowser popu fj larity, efficiency and economy. Money-Saving Information Put your oil storage problems up to Bowser. Probably Bowser has already solved just such problems. Send a pos Say whether to Garage, store, factory, etc., and what kind of oil, gasolene, paint, lubri ing oils or var nishes, etc. Costs nothing to do this. Justs postal. No obligation. For oil e! ciency: safety and economy send postal today—NO’ S.F. atte beer Tay tara her aa Oil Handling Devices 12117 Thoms St, Sales Offices in All Centers and slate Everywhere F