Life, 1914-08-20 · page 37 of 40
Life — August 20, 1914 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page contains three satirical pieces: **"Friendly Advice"** (top right): A tongue-in-cheek column mocking a common scandal of the era—young women who deliberately courted wealthy men, then sued them for "breach of promise" (breaking an engagement), and subsequently pursued vaudeville careers. Life sarcastically calls this a "legitimate" business while cautioning these women that public interest and vaudeville circuits have limits for "this particular kind of attraction." **"A Boomerang System"** (middle): A humorous anecdote about a self-help teacher who teaches clients "will training." One student becomes *so* dominant after practicing four hours daily that he demands his money back—having proven the method works too well. The teacher secretly agrees, fearing other clients might also demand refunds if they succeed. **Advertisement** (bottom): Promoting business books about advertising strategy and preventing wasted marketing campaigns. The humor targets self-help charlatans and exposes the contradiction in their promises: if the system actually works, customers won't need to pay for it again.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
vED A Friendly Advice W E have no wish to interfere with the business success of ambitious young ladies who seek a prosperous career by the well-known route of get- ting acquainted with impressionable millionaires, young or old, then suing them for breach of promise, and finally going into vaudeville. It is a business matter pure and simple, and, as there is no law against it, the business is legitimate. To criticize it, therefore, would be to disturb business unneces- sarily at a time when many people think that too much has been said already. It is merely desired in all friendli- ness to caution these young ladies to be careful. Not only is there a nat- ural limit to the curiosity of the public in matters of this kind, but vaudeville circuits, extensive though they be, can use only a comparatively few of any one particular kind of attraction. A Boomerang System “Gre me back my money!” The man had just entered the office of the great teacher and stood over his desk and looked down at him. “What's the matter?” almost stam- mered that gentleman, “Didn’t I do as I said? Didn't my book on train- ing your will do the business for you?” “Didn't it do the business for me!” echoed the other man, “ Well, sir, I should say it did! One month ago I was a weak, vacillating creature, with no purpose. My will lay dormant. Under your superb system I practiced four hours a day. Now I dominate my house, my servants, my time, my friends, my business, Hand me back that cash!” The great teacher handed it back. “Only one thing I must ask of you, sir,” he said, with the light of a just pride in his eyes. “Don't let my other patients know about this, I do my work so well that if you should let this get out there wouldn’t be a living in it. They could all dominate me and get their money back.” Hovsewire (to new domestic): There is one thing I wish to say to you. The last girl had a habit of coming into the parlor and playing the piano occa- sionally, You never play the piano, do you? New Domestic: Yis, mum, I play; b ‘ll have to charge yer half a crown a week extra if I am to furnish music for the family—Liverpool Mercury. Just wait till YOU get behind one of these books! They tell an astonishing story of understandable way to estab- money that has been wasted! lish advertising on a firm —ofcampaignsthat have been wrecked! business basis. In a word, fey pei the —of business horse-sense that has been rei subject of its lacking! They, present the whole subject of verte, “t Pyea tre D advertising in a totally new light. are, spending more. whichever fits your needs, will 5 be sent free. If you yet Whether you are now an advertiser more than ‘one, ict Be for each ad or not, you will find information help- _ tiooa! copy. ful to your business. cs “s f J Send booklet (free) These books handle the head of the ve “a ioe ‘waver business—perhaps you—without gloves. # They point out the safe, sane, easily sreweess Sa Attach this coupon to your business tettertiead, signing your naive aad oficial position, and mall to aluve address: