Life, 1915-10-21 · page 38 of 52
Life — October 21, 1915 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising** rather than editorial satire. The dominant content is a Hamilton Watch Company advertisement promoting their timepieces as reliable and durable—"the watch of railroad accuracy"—with various models priced from $12.25 to $150. The small satirical section titled "Mystery" mocks corporate indifference: a large department store closes due to the proprietor's death, yet employees arriving for work are secretly relieved to get a holiday. Nobody even knows who the dead owner was. The joke critiques how impersonal large retail businesses had become—the proprietor was so removed from daily operations that his death meant nothing to his staff. Below that, "Fownes Gloves" advertises quality merchandise, emphasizing that reputation and established standards matter in business. The page's bottom section contains fragmentary dialogue appearing to satirize social pretension and political ambition (references to genealogy, phrenology, railroad engineers, and "Teddy" [likely Theodore Roosevelt]), though context is incomplete. Overall: mostly advertising with minor social satire about corporate anonymity and class aspiration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
It is policy to buy a good watch. The owner of a Hamilton is practi- cally insured against needing a new watch, or against having a watch that is always in need of repairs. When you buy a Hamilton, you buy the accurate, durable watch that will tell you true time year after year. Let your jeweler show you the ac- curate, durable, beautiful, new Hamilton Thin Models No. 910 and No. 914 for $28.00 and $40.00 respectively; complete in guaranteed cases. Supplied with any desired style of dial. j Mystery amiltond patch “The Watch of Railroad Accuracy” Prices of Hamitroxs: The lowest-priced Hamiltons are made Hamilton is a movement alone for $12.25 in many models—in ($13.00 in Canada), The highest-priced cased watches; also Hamilton is our Masterpiece at $150.00 in 18k, in, movements alone heavy gold case. Other Hamiltons at $15.00, hich your jeweler $25.00, $28.00, $40.00, $55.00, $80.00, san Bt te 0 all OUR ESTEEMED CONTEMPORARY THE DRY-GOODS ECONOMIST “(7LOSED on account of the death of the proprietor.” This notice on the door of one of the largest department stores of the city arrested the throng of employees who presented themselves for their EE day’s work. One by one they turned away, most of them secretly glad to get a holiday. “What was his name and who was he?” asked one of the salesgirls of $110.00, etc. All have Hamilton Accuracy, ] another. She shook her head. They Beauty and Durability. inquired in vain. Nobody knew. Write for Hamilton Watch Book : “The Timekeeper”’ It’s an interesting book on watches. It pictures and intimately describes the vari- P ous Hamilton models for men and women. HAMILTON WATCH COMPANY Cost y. 1. Sanur tir Lancaster Pennsylvania th n pr Quality does not le oy ” appen pr An established standard of di merit in gloves (or any- to thing else) requires vigi- is lance unceasing. ff M It may also require at aT times, the sacrifice of pres- ent profit for the sake of $ Tr ive Y 4K ith logical ch future reputation. ‘wenty-five Years Hence with your genealogical chart, your % . tyive ee blood-analysis and your phrenological The Reputation of our < EAAVE you's beht, Clarinda? certificate. I should like now for you gloves is the biggest asset “John, do you promise to love, to examine into my own heredity with in our business. honor and obey this woman? a view to considering an offer of mar- The wearer is the gainer. “Children, here are five dollars—go riage.” yi : out and buy yourselves a stick of “T solicit your vote, madam. I ama om gai: candy.” candidate for railroad engineer, subject “On to Ottawa!” to the action of the Democratic party.” “Come, Willie, we are going to the “The soup is all cold, Ethelwynda. I don’t see why you should have stayed for the extra innings.” “Eloise, I am thoroughly satisfied Zoo to see the horses.” “Rah for Teddy!” “Faster!” comicbooks.com