Life, 1916-01-20 · page 42 of 44
Life — January 20, 1916 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines satirical commentary with advertising. The main cartoon, titled "What Is It Makes Men Fight?," illustrates a O. Henry short story excerpt. It depicts a soldier in silhouette against a battlefield scene, apparently driven to enlist by a woman's mockery of his manhood. The narrative suggests romantic humiliation as motivation for military service—a cynical take on masculine honor and patriotic duty common in early 20th-century satire. The accompanying text promotes a mail-order book collection of O. Henry's 274 stories, using this particular tale (about a man proving himself through war) as marketing hook. The page also includes a satirical definition of "Geography" mocking how the subject is taught—reducing complex knowledge to memorized boundaries and arbitrary colorings. Additionally, there's a dress-tie advertisement emphasizing fashion conformity. Overall, the page reflects prewar American attitudes toward masculinity, consumerism, and education circa 1915.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Geography EOGRAPHY is the sum total of all the places in the map that we don't know about. Geography is made up of boundary-lines, river-lines, dots and dashes like a tele- graph system and shaded places which represent the high spots. It is also colored to suit the taste, and in such a manner that it takes a bacteriologist to make you know the difference between the sea and the dry land. Historical geography is ordinary geography with whatever you don’t know about history added to it. Historical geography consists of migrations, cedings and other flora and fauna to suit. To make a historical geography, get a few races and distribute them according to your fancy over a pink area in various shades to show how they spread out. As a matter of fact, they did nothing of the sort, But that s the historical geography all the more interesting. In the hands of school teachers, are frequently believed in for years by confiding pupils. The Perfect Dress Tie The Tie With The Button-On Tabs is the ouly tie that knows its place and keeps it. It is one and indivisible with your front collar button, unless you deliberately undo it. Fashion decrees the poke collar with even- ing dress this season. Smartness decrees the ** Perfect Dress Tic.” Sold in the Best Shops ‘White or Black $0 Cents and Better Look for the name, “The Perfect Ti each neckband, and don't be misled. KEYS & LOCKWOOD New York Books Received The Flower Art of Japan, by Mary Averill. (John Lane Company, $1.50.) To Your Dog and to My Dog, by L.in- coln Newton Kinnicutt. (Houghton, Mifflin Co. $1.00.) Anthology of Magazine Verse for 1915, by William Stanley Braithwaite. (Gomme & Marshall, $1.50.) —_ What Is It BA a gin sn Makes Men Fight? aoker, ad Princi . N one short ugly sentence she had stripped him of his manhood. Ina moment Piles d a ie ane ve fe ee DUC RS nO MEE Sor deen ines his heart As be tay gazing at the Llinking stars Algernon Crofton. (Wyeil & Co., $1.00.) ‘and the shells that shrieked and burst, there again rang in his ear that The A. B. C. of National Defense, bs mocking laugh which had sent him flying to the front. She had the pret j. W. Muller. (E. P. Dutton & Co. tiest hair, the brightest eyes, the most tantalizing smile in all San Au $155.) tine, He would SHOW the world that a lion's heart beat in his little body en liv: Balle KG "The war closed and he went home—a Colonel and a hero. San Augustine Mildew Manse, by Belie K. Maniates, was frenzied over its native son, Straight up the path to her home, he (Little, Brown walked—and then—the thing that happened wasn't at all what you think Margaret Barber. (R. G. This is one of the 274 stories by that master, Badger Co. Boston, Mass., $1.35.) Clouded Amber, by Patience Warren. (R. G. Badger Co., Boston, Mass., $1.35.) O e H EN RY dee Sa £ gi é gies ey "" im ¢ which you get in twelve handsome volumes for only a few cents a week. matocks: 1(Rs acger™ Coy" Boston, Send the coupoa at once—without money—to get these 274 stories throbbing with life ss.) | in the beat of battle aad of love | dingy New York gacrat ‘of the innocent Songs of BP 7 shame, of the guilty who joyously si ealthy and jol panpe of Sriteny, by Thebdors Bo of the weaknesses pardoned by love—and the unforgivable trel, (RG. Badger Co., Boston, Mass., < ) Send for them all on approval. Send for them at once s0 you will get the 179 Kipling stories free $1.00. reads and loves books—-senators and authors, actors Gorham’'s Gold, by Elder Keesing. (R 110,000 Own This Edition Already enators ai eee a ype frat eftion *Reartetand sand Dion distine : By ror -w who snapped up the first edition G. Badger Co.. Boston, Mass., $1.35.) inppetimkor ks Will Understand Why Peele, the Céviaieree, by i Tinh who have eagerly sought the: beaut Other Ration Are Going Wild Over Him ee ne conqueror, by Martin volumes offered you here—from the stylist w niversities are planning tablets to mer dersen Nexo. (Henry Holt & Co., $1.40.) | Bl sits among his books to the man on the street hy text-books of English Literat ee this wi nation bows to O. Henry—hails him ig his stories: why colleges are di Michel Angelo, a Study of His Life jsih love and pride our greatest writer of stories, is place in liter why. th and Work, by Romain Rolland. (Dut. Kvergbody has to have O. Henry—everybody who are dying for rights to dramatize his stories field & Co., $2.50.) Recreations, by J.T. (R. G, Badger Co., Boston, Mass. $1.50.) Kipling Free 4. ¢ Re besides, to get your prompt action we give you, free, Kipling in six volumes— Hof Rev 30 New eriee fee Kennet: ‘Rand 179 stories—the greatest he ever wrote—the red, red stories of fight and the Woot er enneth Rand f (Sherman French & Company, Boston, Mass., $1.00.) ed Arrow, by Elmer Russell (Harper & Bros, $1.00.) nyt s, hy Donal Hanailton (Harper & 2 St Tuner Law, by Will + & Bros. $1.35.) Mon Jesus, by Mary (Harper & Bros. Harben, Austin, 451 Soi | 2 Long Novels O. HENRY keen blue stories of peace. ad. Better than Send No Meney fend the bucks back—the whole IS-if they're nat, the rent, real ep re the living, stori dalay on China Ray to Mth Street and Broadway, a to the Mexican border ranch. Send the coup et Loth sets shipped at ance free on appt 2S a week pays for O. Henry. The Kipling is free. coupon and pot the 18 books on sour library shelves ai new joy in your heart. walt tll tomorrow pn today and bee rving Place Review of ReviewsCo.,"° Soa"fark >» a be sorry. Send pictures of life