Life, 1915-02-04 · page 4 of 44
Life — February 4, 1915 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **subscription advertisement** for *Life* magazine's Valentine issue, not political satire. The page promotes the upcoming Valentine Number, featuring cherub/cupid illustrations (classical romantic imagery common to Valentine's Day themes). The text emphasizes that *Life*'s annual Valentine Numbers have long been popular with readers for their sentimental content. The publisher highlights the issue's continued tradition and offers a subscription deal: ten cents per issue, with special reduced rates for new subscribers (noted in the right margin). The small illustration at bottom left appears to be the magazine's logo or mascot. **Context**: This reflects early 20th-century magazine marketing, when annual themed issues were major publishing events. The "vulgar business department" reference is a self-deprecating joke about commercialism intruding on romance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Valentine Number of is coming next week For many years now the Valentine Numbers of Lire, issued once a year, have SPECIAL buoyed up the jaded hearts and revived the somnolent sentiments of thousands ‘OFFER of readers. Next week’s number, reeking with love, will ketp up the high / standard. It will be dull, commonplace and antique to those hope- f Enclosed lessly prosaic minds who do not know (alas!) what it means to Rina Gee Dol- ‘anadian love. To all others it will vibrate with hope and passion and $1.13, Foreien that delightful foolishness which from time immemorial $1.26). Send Lire has made the world go around. We desire to add for three months to only one thing. The price, as usual, will be ten cents, and if you care to become a regular subscriber you can do so by complying with the extremely unpleasant regula- tions in the coupon which the vulgar business department forces us to place on this page. (To the right of the page as you leave, 0 ' Seen be y. pen only to new subscribers; no sul please. y scription renewed at this rate. LIFE, 17 West 31st Street, New York 8 One Year, $5.00. (Canadian, $5.52; Foreign, $6.04.) COMIGHOOKS.