Life, 1915-11-11 · page 40 of 44
Life — November 11, 1915 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page consists primarily of **period advertisements** (circa 1915, based on the Panama-Pacific International Exposition reference) with one small **racial humor cartoon** at bottom right. The ads promote consumer goods: Rubberset brushes (winning a gold medal), Donchester Arrow dress shirts (marketed for formal occasions), and Smith & Wesson pistols (pitched as "safe" home protection). The cartoon depicts an elderly white man and a young Black boy. The caption's dialect-heavy dialogue—"JES' WAITIN' FoR YOU TO SIT DOWN"—plays on a racist stereotype about Black people and watermelons, implying the boy is waiting to steal the man's seat to access food. This represents the **casual, normalized racial mockery** typical of early 20th-century American humor magazines, reflecting deeply embedded segregation-era attitudes. The "joke" relies entirely on dehumanizing stereotypes for its effect.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(MAL LEE LLL MAA LA a a ee The GOLD MEDAL the Highest Award for BRUSHES — at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, was awarded to RUBBERSET TRADE MARK BRUSHES HE patented RUBBERSET method of gripping bristles in flint-hard vulcanized rubber so ey can’t come out has made the SRSET shaving brush, BERSET safety tooth RUBBERSET hair brushes and paint brushes the world's standards—the best brushes that money ca : “Donchester “ARROW vening SHIRT At the ‘table, in the theatre chair or during the mild athletics of the modern dance, the DONCHESTER bosom remains flat, creaseless and in its place. $1.50, $2.00 and $3.00 Qhuett, Peabody Co. Inc Makers AWA GRANT ERAULRERLUA GRRL ELERULERULERALIE SAAS ASS. CSAS. “SESS ESS SR 8 XA GRAN GRATE." = LT OE a Chahrhbhe he han he LT 0M MM ae A, \/ Automatic Doubly Safe A safe pistol for the home with two real safety devices. Safe enough to satisfy those who have hesitated to have pistol protec- tion for the home. Ask your dealer to show you the eve special features of the Smith & Wes- , son Automatic. Booklet on request é : f CALLER: WHY ARE YOU WATCHING ME SO STRANGELY, SMITH & WESSON fof Ress Youngman £° Name ROY: AW, I'M JES’ WAITIN’ FoR YOU TO SIT DOWN. Springfield Mass Address... YE Fo} aia comicbooks.com