Life, 1918-03-21 · page 51 of 56
Life — March 21, 1918 — page 51: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces of satire. **"The Week-end of Solomon Grundy"** is a short humorous poem playing on the nursery rhyme "Solomon Grundy." It mocks consumer behavior and financial responsibility by listing mundane weekly activities (burning coal, eating meals, buying clothes, taking a train trip) while notably including the line "Wouldn't buy a bond on Thursday"—a jab at Americans reluctant to purchase war bonds, likely during or after World War I. **"How to Look at Hardships"** is a satirical essay contrasting perspectives on deprivation. It argues that modern Americans complain about minor inconveniences (buying one's own evening gown, making coffee) that would constitute luxury to poorer people like "the daughter of a Tennessee mountaineer" or the Pilgrim Fathers. The piece mocks contemporary "meatlessness, wheatlessness, coallessness" complaints (likely wartime rationing), suggesting Americans' claimed hardships are actually signs of soft living. Both pieces reflect post-WWI attitudes criticizing American materialism and wartime sacrifice reluctance.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Week-end of Solomon Grundy OLOMON GRUNDY Burned coal on Monday: Ate beefsteak on Tuesday And biscuit on Wednesday : Wouldn't buy a bond on Thursday : Bought new clothes on Friday : Saturday Took a train c For a trip ove that was Sunday— end of Solomon 7 How to Look at Hardships ARDSHIPS, like cabinet photo- graphs, seldom impress any two people in the same The pampered daughter of a millionaire would con- hard- “ THE SHOE THAT HOLDS ITS SHAPE" $3 $3.50 $4 $4.50 $5 $6 $7 & $8 —_ sider that she was undergoing ships of the most severe nature if were forced to hook her own evenin gown up the back and make herself W. L. Douglas name and the cup of coffee on a gas range. The same : 4 retail price is stamped on the rations, however. would represent 4 | bottom of every pair of shoesS the height of luxury to the daughter of r before they leave the factory. a Tennessee mountaineer. If the good | The value is guaranteed and people of to-day should he forced to | f the wearer protected against live for a few weeks as did the Pil- = high prices for inferior shoes. grim Fathers, their cries of anguish ‘ou_can save money by wear- would be heard across the continent. J | ing W. L. Douglas shoes. The q If the Pilgrim Fathers could look in i best known shoes in the world. on us when we were suffering our he quality of W. L. Douglas product is bitterest hardships of —meatlessness, ij guaranteed by more than 40 years ex- 7 — wheatlessness, coallessness and work- % ith perience in making fineshoes. The smart 4 lessness, they would fall to their knees LD OP 4 stylesare the leaders inthe fashion centres BOYS SHOES and pray that we might be delivered ss of America. They are made in a well- ~ Best la the World from the lap of luxury and the curse ida a equipped factory at Brockton, Mass., by $3 $2.50 $2 of soft living. There are plenty of y the highest paid, skilled shoemakers, under the direction and ways of proving that our hardest hard- ; supervision of experienced men, all working withanhonest deter- ships will really he rather soft. | | minationtomake the best shoes for the price that money can buy. | “ 7 c retail prices are the same everywhere. They cost no ITH do seh futile guashing of Sia beaetes Resting cut more in San Francisco than they do in New York. They teeth, first at the Bolsheviki and cess necessary at that time te ate alwa s worth the price paid for them, » first a ecessary at that time to elrto — Before you buy be sure W. Z. Douglas name then at the German invaders, there harden the feather: to lengthen Sid heretail price tamed on ine Datiows sid ine . ; its wear. While e: in fact only protectio a" ought to he big war profits for dentists. this labor he mashed Refinger. | | sa ctl@e2rises for inserion shoes, EWA IEE OF FEAUD. | with the hammer, the marks of A tore,ask your local dealer forthem. Takenoother _— which remain to this day. make, Write for booklet, showing how to ordershoes by mail, post President. TRIED BY TIME Copyright, W.L Douglas i Vb horgls iy 2s DOCALAS EHOR 00. PROVEN BY SERVICE, MA MUM PROTECTION INIMUM COST Commercial Travelers Mutual Accident Assocation George S. Dana, Sec’y-Treas., Utica, N. Y. Illinois Commercial Men’s Association R. A. Cavenaugh, Sec'y-Treas., Chicago, Il. Commercial Travelers Eastern Accident Association Ira PF, Libby, Sec'y-Treas., Boston, Mass. Towa State Traveling Men's Association H. E, Rex, Sec’y-Treas., Des Moines, lowa Illinois Traveling Men's Health Association R. A. Cavenaugh, Sec'y-Treas., Chicago, Ill, Commer’! Travelers Boston Benefit Asso. (Health) é Ira F. Libby, Sec’y-Treas., Boston, Mass. ENDORSED BY The Commercial Travelers Magazine Established 189¢ , Springfield, Massachusetts THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE