Life, 1921-10-27 · page 33 of 34
Life — October 27, 1921 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct satirical pieces mocking American culture: **"Disillusion"** ridicules pretentious intellectualism. A man reads a book that appears profoundly meaningful ("great and new-born power"), but it's revealed to be merely a poker instruction manual—satirizing how people project sophistication onto mundane subjects. **"The Indignity of New Remedies"** mocks the patent medicine industry's decline. A testimonial writer laments that old "wonder cures" (whisky, tonics) commanded credibility, but modern remedies claiming health benefits from fruit and yeast seem absurd. The satire critiques both the industry's previous shamelessness and modern skepticism. **"Attention!"** is a brief joke about inattentive service, where a customer waiting at a confectionery counter sarcastically asks "Who waits on the nuts?"—a pun conflating the merchandise with the staff's mental capacity. The page is otherwise dominated by period advertisements (W.L. Douglas shoes, Egyptian Deities cigarettes, Cortez cigars), which are not satirical content but standard commercial messaging.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Disillusion = opened the book and he closed H the book In the space of one short hour, And his eyes shone bright with the strange white light Of « great and new-born power. “Perhaps he has found the Absolute Cause,” I remarked to one I knew; “Perhaps, step and stage, he has found in the page The genuine cosmical view.” We rose and we looked at the ponder- ous book When the man had gone away, And we saw that its name was “The Rules of the Game: Poker, The Draw and The Play.” Bernard Breslauer. The Indignity of New Remedies € ES,” said the man who writes the I -Was-Cured - by-Your-Wonder- ful-Remedy letters, “I'm through with this game for good and all. Neither my conscience nor my ability is equal to modern requirements. “It wasn’t so bad in the old days when remedies had dignity and distinction. It was dead easy to write a grateful and convincing letter to the makers of Guffy’s Malt Whisky (taken before each meal), or an epistle of heartfelt thanks to the Peroma Company ; neither was it difficult to be jubilant over the fact that Old Morgan’s Bitters made me feel like a new man. Implicit faith was put in my testimonials and a mil- lion sufferers made happy. “But to-day,—look at the remedies before the public. Who would believe my letters (or read them even) if I claimed health, happiness and complete rejuvenation simply from eating sev- eral lemons, oranges and pineapples —with now and then a handful of raisins or a few dozen yeast cakes? And what person would not be cynical regarding my enthusiasm for Blue Bird Ginger Ale or White .Lily Spring Water? No, sir, I can’t do it. I’ve a conscience left, and besides, my | nation does not touch such Sorrowfully he closed his hard- worked desk, and another old Ameri- can institution had passed on. Attention! From Northampton, Mass., comes this story of Gerald Stanley Lee: Desiring to purchase for himself some almonds and pecans one day he entered a confectionery store and took his stand before the case. After wait- ing some little time without being no- ticed he raised his voice: “Here! Here! Who waits on the nuts ?” FOR MEN AND WOMEN 'W. LDOUGLAS ~ $7.00 & $800 SHOES seuss $10.00 saz. $5.00 YOU CAN SAVE MONEY BY WEARING W. L. DOUGLAS SHOES e best known shoes in the world. They are sold in107W.L.Douglas stores, direct from the factory to youatonlyone profit, which guarantees to you the best shoes that can be pro- duced, at the lowest possible cost. W.L. Douglas name and the retail price is stamped on the sole of all shoes before they leave the factory, which is your protection against unreasonable profits W. L. Douglas $7.00 and $8.00 shoes BOYS SHOES are absolutely the best shoevaluesfor $4.50 & $5.00 the money in this country. They com- bine quality, style, workmanship and wearing qualities equal to other makes | selling at higher prices. They are the | leaders in the fashion centers of America. The stamped price is W. L. J Douglas personal guarantee that the shoes are always worth the price paid Hi for them. The prices are the same everywhere ; they cost no more in San Francisco than they do in New York. W. L. Douglas shoes are made by the highest paid, skilled shoemakers,under the direction and supervision of expe- rienced men, all working with an hon- est determination to make the best shoes for the price that money can buy. CAUTION.—Insist upon having W. L. Douglas shoes. The name and price is stamped on seo that it has not been or mutilated. If not for sale in your vicinity, order direct fromfactory. Catalog free. W.L. Douglas name and portrait is the best known shoe Trade Mark in the world. It stands for thehighest standard of quality at the low- est possible cost. W. L, Douglas shoes with his name and retail price stamped on the sole are worn by more men than any other make. President Yi W. L. Douglas Shoe Co., 147 Soark St.. Brockton, Mass. “The Utmost in Cigarettes” Plain nd or Cork Tp People of culture and. refinement invariably ~ PREFER. Deities ‘Almost Nothing “Mrs. Dosrs is always she has so little to wear.” “Yes, she had it on last night.” 31 telling us that WES GGARS “MADE AT KEY WEST— BRAINS comicbooks.com