Life, 1920-05-13 · page 40 of 52
Life — May 13, 1920 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. The dominant feature is a Waterman's Ideal Fountain Pen advertisement that contrasts writing standards across centuries. A 17th-century quote emphasizes that illegible letters insult the recipient, while the 20th-century pitch argues that Waterman pens make poor handwriting "inexcusable"—positioning the product as a solution to social embarrassment. The page includes two minor pieces: "The Great Game" (a baseball metaphor using spiritualism language—"ouija board," "spirits," "controls"—to describe the sport's unpredictability), and "Bubbles" (a brief meditation on fate, comparing people to soap bubbles with varying destinies). An Allen's Foot-Ease powder advertisement appears at bottom, noting wartime military use. The content reflects early 20th-century consumer culture and social anxieties about propriety and personal presentation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
[in Oli, In the Seventeenth Century: “A careless and il- legible letter is a slight to the person addressed as much as the neglect of tidiness in our out- ward habiliments, in which Society has an unwritten law.” (Daniel W. Kettle, in “Pens, Ink and Paper,” published by Ye Cos- mographer, at Ye Sign of ‘Ye Golden Buck,”’ over against Fetter Lane’s End, 53 in Fleet Strect, London, MDCLXXXV.) L. E. Waterman Company mm i 5 i i i a z z | } cmeaeneaaeeaaua Twentieth Century: Ideal | aimPen makes careless and illegible writing inexcusable. Waterman's Idea! changes the trouble of writing to a perpetual pleasure. It provides a pen point that fits the individual handwriting, making writ- ing easy and natural, Waterman’s Ideal is built to promote legible writing, from the rubber in the holder to the iridium at its gold point. Back of every Waterman’s Ideal Fountain Pen is a service on the part of the maker that extends to every corner of the civi- lized world. 191 Broadway New York, N. Y. ! come t “HEY, PELLEKS GAME Bubbles LITTLE group of gether by some co like a bundle of toy balloor up and down on their string lightly here and there, tou bounding. Some are mo than others, some more ge are more sensitive and explc prick. Some become deflat their lustre, being buffeted carried off of, while a few fortunate ones on a spectacular career before they, sink to earth and are forgotten. Shake Into Your Shoes Sprinkle in the Foot Bath ALLEN’S FOOT-EASE The Antiseptic, Healing Powder for the Feet, for Tired, Aching, Swollen, Tender Feet, Corns, Bunions, Blisters, Callouses, It freshens the feet and makes walk- ing a delight. 1,500,000 pounds of powder for the fect were used by our army and eT, during the war. Ask for Allen's Foot-Ease. Sold everywhere. The Great Game HE national ouija board is open to all. It is in the shape of a diamond. There are only nine letters on this hoard. The pointer runs around three bases. It is played in the sunlight. The players try to connect with an in- tangible sphere. The “controls " are on the coaching line. And the “spirits” bubble out of the Lleachers and the stands. comicbooks.com