Life, 1915-04-01 · page 52 of 72
Life — April 1, 1915 — page 52: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several distinct sections mixing humor, advertising, and social commentary typical of early 20th-century *Life* magazine. **"A Cynical Clerk"** satirizes legal practice: an office boy asks a clerk about "contingent fees," and the clerk explains cynically that the lawyer wins nothing if you lose, wins nothing if you win either—a joke about lawyers' supposed dishonesty or the futility of legal disputes. **"What Was It Then?"** is a brief joke: a man calls his house a "bungalow" but admits he still owes money on it, so it's not truly his—mocking either the term "bungalow" or middle-class pretension about homeownership. The page is otherwise dominated by **advertisements** for cigarettes (Egyptian Deities), insurance associations for traveling salesmen, a sex education book (*Sexology*), foot powder, and Wilson Whiskey—which includes ideology about the "moderate man" being society's "backbone." A cartoon at bottom shows two street urchins planning mischief, unrelated to other content. The page reflects early 1900s concerns: legal cynicism, home debt, traveling salesmen's welfare, and respectability through moderation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DEITIES | “Dhe Utmost in Cigarettes | Plan End or Cok yp | Be He of culture refinement a education invariabl, PREFER Deities to any other cigar, A Cynical Clerk ‘The office-hoy in a law office of this nself hopes to be a lawyer some as begun his studies already stions of the clerks when al term about which he ion, The other day he approached one of he clerks with this question: “What do they mean by a contingent fee?” “It's like this,” explained the clerk. “Tf vou lose the nothing: if you win y Leading Accident and Health Insurance Asso- ciations for Commercial Travelers Able Management Financial Strength Commercial Travelers Mutual Accident Asso- ciation of America, Utica, N.Y. a] —_ Gi DANA, Sec'y-Treas. What Was It Then? S E > < O L O G Y Miner Crmerciat Men's Assoetatlon; ici i T don't see why you call your place by William H. Walling, A.M., M.D. R. A. CAVENAUGH, Sec'y-Treas, a bungalow,” said Smith to his neighbor, imparts in a clear wholesome Commercial Travelers’ Eastern Accident Asso- “ in one volume; NW, if i al alow, what ciation, Boston, Mass. Keowledge a Young Man Shootd Have. IRA F. LIBBY, Sec’y-Treas. id the neighbor, “ The job was Keone a Yet Hested Shel Hae jlowa. Sto aveling Men's Associati s and [still owe for it.” fe 0 Fa its lowa, State Traveling Men's Association, De ar V 6 As ih Rauides 2 fate Set Ter se, ck adies’ Home Journal. Medial Kaowkdee a Hesbacd Ts, DEBTS, Sec/y-Trene, Koowledge a Yount Woman Stood Have Minois Traveling Men's Health Association, o “ Kaowledge a Young Wile Sboold Have. Chicago, Ml, In a Pinch, use ALLEN’S FOOT-EASE || jyia cscveteme, Knowledge a Mother Shoold Have. R. A. CAVENAUGH, Secy-Treas. ; . Miastrted. —Kaowledse a Mather Shocld Lnpart to Her Dost, Commercial Travelers’ Boston Benefit Associa- Cuerk: I'd like to get_a week off, sir, |) $2.00 postpaid Medical Keowledce a Wile Stood Hav tion (Health), Boston, Mass. IRA F. LIBBY, Sec'y-Treas. Write for “Other 1 to attend the wedding of a friend. Exrcover: A very dear friend, I should say, to make you want that much ENDORSRO BY THY: COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS’ MAGAZINE | (Lit, 9) SPRINGFIELD, MASS. The National Organ of the Commercial Traveter time. Curxk: Well, sir, after the ceremony she will be my wife—Boston Transcript. The moderate man is the backbone of this country. He who drinks and eats, works and plays, intelligently, is the best citizen. It is for him we make WILSON—an exception- ally mild, mellow Whiskey—and protect it with the Non-Refillable Bottle. So that he is always sure to get just what he calls for, every time—Wilson—Real Wilson— That’s All! “AIN'T IT LUCKY, JIMMIE, US) MERETIN’ RIGHT HERE GUT O° SIGHT OF RVERYRODY FREE CLUB RECIPES—Free booklet of famous club recipes for WHERE 1 CAN KNOCK THE STUFFIN’ OUT mixed drinks. Address Wilson, 13 East 31st St, N. Y., That's All! o you?” eo icbooks.com