Life, 1920-12-16 · page 41 of 45
Life — December 16, 1920 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct elements: **Left side:** A sentimental poem titled "Is There Still a Dixie?" celebrating the American South in nostalgic, romanticized language—evoking "the glory land of the Past" and "memories that do not die." This appears to be genuine nostalgic verse, possibly sent to Life magazine by a Southern reader. **Right side:** An advertisement for Rubberset brushes disguised as reader correspondence. A man named Max J. Colton writes to the company claiming he's spent thirteen years trying to determine how long a Rubberset brush lasts. The magazine's note beneath admits this is promotional material, joking that while "how long?" is the customer's question, "why?" is Life's—and they answer: because Rubberset brushes have superior vulcanized rubber grips. The satire is gentle: Life is mocking both the overwrought sentimentality of Southern nostalgia *and* advertising's attempt to masquerade as authentic reader mail. The juxtaposition highlights early 20th-century marketing tactics and regional romanticism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE Is There Still a Dixie? (Received by Lire from an Unknown Friend in the South) Is there still a Dixie?” ones, And in that realm of the spirit ancy may summon visions of the most beautiful scenes, he loveliest of faces, Mind the days of cloudless blue! Dixte—The East to which those of us Who stand on the rim of the fading day furn in devotion Vhile shadows creep! Dixie—The glory land of the Past, hee golden bourne of memory’s silent rambles, The hallowed Solitude in whose depths be lost chords of life breathe again heir music into the soul! Dixie—Love's shadowland, opled with the unfettered spirits M the noble and the great, dolent with memories that do not die, ause they cluster about things immortal empled with the dream fabrics of a nation hat drew out from God's boundless deep, ed, after four years of glory, erned again home! nx1e—The beautiful and glorious, he sweetest chapter in History, he noblest Epic of the ages, [Pre light of yesteryear whose effulgence filds the crest of Time's swift onward tide! Nxit—The stainless mother of the nation, ¢ indestructible Kingdom of the Twi- light— nxie—The incomparable South of our dreams! Why ask such a foolish question!!! Blasé Youngster (whose parents think he Helieves in Santa Claus): 1 woxver 1F THEY'VE DONE THEIR BUYING EARLY? Answer!Answer! — who has the answer ? As Mr. Colton has spent only thirteen years seeking it, his lack of knowledge is, of course, duly excusable. Frankly, we're in the same fix, but we thought some of you older chaps might help us enlighten him. d. Cumberland, M farylane November ©” Rubberset Compand» Newark, y. J. Gentlemen: y years of s# aubteRseT se having bru: The first horn inl Very truly yours MAX J. CoOL (NOTE—The matter of “how long is largely up to you— but the question of “why?” is wholly up to us. And on that we surely do know where we stand—it’s on account of that old original RUBBERSET feature — that ever- lasting grip of hard vulcanized rubber!) RUBBERSET LATHER ace man PAINT. Are BRUSHES wine every bristle gripped EVERLASTINGLY in hard rubber. Rueacneey comicbooks.com