Life, 1916-08-17 · page 38 of 38
Life — August 17, 1916 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page juxtaposes a satirical cartoon about social etiquette with a substantial advertisement for O. Henry's collected works. **The Cartoon:** "The Proof of the Pudding" (lower left) depicts a domestic scene where a woman serves pudding to a man at dinner. The accompanying text jokes that "the full charm and comfort of the decolleté gown may be enjoyed without embarrassment, if the underarm is perfectly smooth"—satirizing the vanity and social anxiety of fashionable women concerned with visible body hair when wearing low-cut dresses. This mocks both women's insecurity and the absurd beauty standards of the era. **The Advertisement:** The large O. Henry promotion features a dramatic photograph of a distressed wealthy woman consoling a working-class girl, illustrating a plot point from one of his stories. The ad emphasizes O. Henry's "understanding" and "love" of common people, positioning his short stories as America's most popular literature—having sold 1.5 million copies domestically with global reach. Together, the page reflects early 20th-century American consumer culture: one mocking frivolous social pretensions, the other celebrating populist fiction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MER EVANS EOUNS, HUDSON Y= va SQ) Sig eeerr Social Functions The full charm and comfort of the decolleté gown may be enjoyed without embar- rassment, if the un- derarm is perfectly smooth, Z Evans’s Depilatory is a soft powder which removes objectionable hair temporarily. There is no safe way to remove hair permancntly Evans's, applied now and then, keeps the skin entirely free. It is easy to use. 50c for outfit, including mi and powder. Money back if you At drug: and department-stores, oF us SOc and dealer's name and’ address. Geo B Evans 1108 Chestnut St Philadelphia Pa Makers of Mum" Page & Co. $1.25.) Cheiro's Palmistry for All, by Cheiro. George Hirshfield. (G. P, Putnam's Sons.) (Doubleday, Page & Co. 75 cents.) Scouting with Kit Carson, by Everett Dante, by Jefferson Butler Fletcher, T. Tomlinson, (Doubleday, Page & Co. A.M, (Henry Holt & Co. 50 cents.) $1.25.) Political Thought in England, by Wil- Poems, by Najah E. Woodward. (R. liam L. Davidson, M.A. L1.D. (Henry G. Badger, Boston, Mass. $1.00.) Holt & Co. so cents.) My Home in the Field of Honour, by Poland, by W. Alison Phillips, ances Wilson Huard, (Geo. H. Doran (Henry Holt & Co. 50 cents.) $1.35.) stedt. (Doubleday, The Mothers, by ee 3 eer gy M.A. Let Him That Is Without Sin Cast, the First Ston A woman crouched down against the iron fence of the park, sobbing turbulently. Her rich fur coat dragged on the ground. Her diamond-ringed hands clung to the slender, plainly-dressed working girl who leaned close, trying to console. Dan was the cause of it all. Dan and that chap with the automobile and the diamonds. O. HENRY saw, and seeing, understood. That is the secret of his power With swift sure, strokes he drives his story home. Never a word is wasted. From the first word the interest starts and you are carried on in the sure magic of his vivid sentences to the unexpected climax. by our wonder grows greater—as the years go by, his fame grows greater for the wisdom— the understanding—the love—the humor—the sweetness of these pages. Always healthy in their influence—always facing truth when truth 020+ esd ems ee dm om « Books Received Jaunty in Charge, by Mrs. George Wemyss. (E. P. Dutton & Co. $1.35.) Vision and Vesture, by Charles Gard- ner. (E, P. Dutton & Co. $1.25.) Struck by Lightning, by Burton Kline. (UJohn Lane Company. $1.30.) The War in Eastern Europe, by John Reed. $2.00.) 4 ie’s Log, by A. S. Neill. (Robert McBride & Co. $1.00.) The Proof of the Pudding, by Mere- dith Nicholson. (Houghton, Mifflin Co. $1.35.) Black Kenzie. Tennis for cribner’s Sons, Kenyon Mac $1.50.) Bjur- Sheep, by Jean (Houghton, Mifflin Co. Women, by Molla . Henry has come to fill American Life. Wherever you go— whatever you read—you meet O. Henry." In the news stories from the war, there are intimate references toO. Henry —at social gatherings—at hunt meets—on the ad—every where everybody knows O. Henry and. refers loviagly to his people and his ‘stories. The founder of a new literature—no wonder the sale goes up and up—higher and higher each day. Long ago he reached beyond the world’s record for short stories. 1,500,000 al- ready in the United States. How many in France and England—Germany—Africa—Asia and Australia—we cannot tell. Asthe years go HAE has to be told—a bracer to the heart and mind while the tears and laughter struggle to- gether and neither wins. Don’t get him to read him once—you'll read him a hundred times—and find him each time as fresh and unexpected asat the first. He puts his finger on the pulse-strings of your heart and plays on them to your delight and your surprise. That is the mystery of O. Henry— his power beyond understanding. o And besides to get your prompt action we give you. free, Kipling 9% Lr". in six volumes — 179 stories— 1716 —the red, red stories of fight and the keen blue stories of peace. Send the books back —the whole 18—if they're Send No Money Ssr,ine.tooks pack the whole 1s it they’ Better than moving pictures — for these are perma- | ¥_, Send me on ap 451 she nent, real moving pictures of life. Henry's worn a 2 Long Nove! glee WERE eg 2c a week pays for O. Henry. The Kipling 9% umes. cold tops. Also is free. "Send'the coupon before it is oo late 4%, value’ fet of Rijiing, too and put the 18 books on your library shelves 4 witremits per menthiorrs most and thenew joy in your heart, tog 6 ete st ety sh Don’t wait till tomorrow and 9% wie’ wit Sihia ten day, reure DO 07 seta at your expense. be sorry. Send Coupon to- ' ‘gba THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING day and be glad. ReviewofReviewsCo. ,4” occupation 30 Irving PL, New York 07 the Hn # leather esison cf 0. He PETER J. CAREY, PRINTER O° Name. = O° Adare _ sents only a fev te handing. Per ents more a volume and has proved a Turerious binding, change above to $4.50 a moath for 13 mocthh