Life, 1919-07-31 · page 35 of 40
Life — July 31, 1919 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines satirical poetry with a vintage Hires root beer advertisement. **The Satire ("My Inspiration"):** Poet Allene Gates mocks pretentious art appreciation. She claims indifference to celebrated works—Wagner operas, Old Master paintings by Rembrandt and Hals bore her. But crude, amateurish art ("Old Ladies with a Cat," "Sunset in the Western Sky") delights her precisely *because* she can replicate it herself. The joke targets people who dismiss fine art while claiming equal creative ability—exposing the gap between self-assessment and actual taste. **The Advertisement:** The Hires root beer ad uses nostalgia and naturalness claims ("sixteen nature-grown ingredients"), emphasizing wholesomeness for families. The accompanying illustration shows an older man and woman (apparently rural folk, given the "country" reference) enjoying the beverage, reinforcing its "authentic" American roots appeal. The juxtaposition is typical of Life's format: sophisticated satire paired with period advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ack ey, CY, “oe deserter m Or ers, re at, whi oF a st ther be; a heey fore bee pinion ay My Inspiration SING my simple song of praise ie po great work of art; vaby, untutored voice I raise, ned critics’ ways. ruth quite often pays, Ill my views impart lyric sad, with cadence sweet, Xo verse so wild and free, ut runs regardless of its feet, w or rhythm fleet— think it’s rather neat— Brings forth this song from me vorld-famed tales T may admire Pafection of technique, ta Maupassant does not inspire lnee the same celestial fire; artlessness I tire, asd simpler ways I seek. 4 Wagner operatic score Excites me not at all, tad when there comes a fifth encore I feel that music is a bore, (od quietly I reach the door That leads into the hall. art museums great I find, With color sense exact, ese paintings long ago designed By artists with a super-mind ; Set though by Hals or Rembrandt signed, I still do not react. Bet when at last there meets my eye “Old Ladies with a Cat,” Or “Sunset in the Western Sky,” With drawing crude, of values shy, I stand entranced, for even I Can do as well as that! Allene Gates, Curtailed Tis possible to have too much of a remarked the Parlor es,” agreed the Mere Man, “the with the shortest tail runs the danger of having tin cans tied F you have ever lived in the country, mere mention of what Hires is made from will make you cease to wonder why it is so downright good. Juices of wintergreen, sarsaparilla, birch bark, spikenard, juniper berries— the roots, herbs, barks and berries that you searched for so eagerly in bygone days. These—and pure cane sugar. There are sixteen nature-grown ingredients— and the combination makes Hires the delightful drink itis. Yet you pay no more than you do We even crossed the sea to find some of the goodness that * goes into Hires. Hires con- tains nothing to create an un- natural craving—nothing to unduly stimulate. Drink all the Hires you want without regret. Little tots, grown-ups, old folks—every one can drink Hires pure and healthful with nothing but enjoyment. Hires to be sure. And to be sure you get Hires say “‘Hires’’ distinctly. Hires is “rootbeer’’ but all ‘‘rootbeer’’ is not Hires. Remember that and impress it on the youngsters. Hires is nat- : e : for an artific- ural. Substi- jally flavored 1 I : tutes are artifi- substitute. cially flavored. Ask for Hires at every good soda fountain. Also bottled by licensed bottlers. Sold in bottles so that you can have Hires at home. THE CHARLES E. HIRES COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA, PA. Senday Fisherman: an’ 1 toLD EVERY BODY 1 AD Good LUCK Hires contains juices of sixteen roots, barks, herbs and berries comicbooks.com