Life, 1926-01-07 · page 37 of 40
Life — January 7, 1926 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a philosophical short story titled "Fable from the Insomniac" alongside a radio advertisement—typical of Life's mixed content format. **The Fable:** The story is a satirical riff on the Book of Job, reimagining Satan negotiating with Omniscience. Satan tricks God into permitting him to lengthen old men's suffering on Earth by exploiting a technicality: God had already decreed their lives would be short, so Satan cleverly extends their *nights* instead. The joke plays on divine bureaucracy and Satan's cunning exploitation of loopholes—a darkly humorous meditation on human suffering and cosmic indifference. **The Advertisement:** The Freshman Model 5-F-5 radio receiver sells for $60, marketed as "The World's Greatest Radio Receiver." It emphasizes the mahogany cabinet, built-in speaker, and selective tuning capabilities—standard 1920s radio advertising. The page reflects Life's characteristic blend of literary satire and commercial culture, with the fable's existential bleakness contrasted against the optimistic promise that a good radio ensures "A Happy Home."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Fable from the Insomniac Oxce upon a time, Satan was stand ing behind the High 1 e The Book of Job and H. G. Wells’ “New Book of Job” both teach us that Sa though not persona gratissima at the Royal Court, ha ain status there To a departing messenger, Omniscience was closing a refusal with these words The days of old men on the earth are heavy, and, therefore, in my kindness, I ade them few"; and he turned. with infinite impatience, to a messenger irom Alpha Centauri The distance from this world t pha Centauri is so great that it a skilled astronomer one hour to think of it; and then he does not understand it. If our solar system shou ured into Alpha Centauri and should fall some sidewalk and be smashed, the thought of the police would be ti lecide which of the nearer shopkeepers uld be told to sweep it up But I may be wrong. The messenger may have bec m Beta Ceti. The sky is all spangled up with such huge places, and even experts get them mix Be that as it may, Satan step quickly and whispered, softly, in the car of Omniscience: “Aye, Master, the s of old men on the earth are few T have thought of av alance that May I try it Omniscience did not turn his head to sce who it was and said, in a quick vexed tone, “Yes”; because even Eter- nity must be subdivided in an orderly inner and a sparrow that falls to the t be left. Sometimes, to the f subordinates. Satan ran d into Michael w his arm around the 1's neck, and then did a Snake Dance. “What the deuce!” said Mi- chael. “What is wrong now?” “You remember the earth?” said the Serper't of Hell. “You know I do,” said Mi- chael. “You know that my oculist says that I spend too much time at the micro Anything infinitely small and in ly queer, I am likely not to for said Satan, “the days of old me ” Michael nodded. gravely. erefore,” continued the devil, with a cunn: grin, “it has been decreed, & uasly he the nights of old men shall be very, very long.” LIFE ; A Good Radio~ A Happy Home Model §-F-S TheWorlds Greatest - RadioReceiver/ ERESHMAN PRSTERPIEN With Built-in Loud Speaker of Great Volume and Superb Tone This five tube wonder set is encased in as fine a heavy five-ply genuine mahogany cabinet as ever graced any radio receiver. The Freshman Masterpiece is selective too. It is equipped with the new Freshman straight line wave length condenser with vernier adjustment, which assures hair-line selectivity, and permits you to tune in any station you want without inter- ference, over the entire broadcasting range. Sold on Convenient Terms by Authorized Freshman Dealers, Who a! Install and Service Them. Write for 24 page illustrated booklet, full of useful information for all radio fans. It’s free. CHAS. FRESHMAN CO., INC. Sc2e5w! Wastsgion Biot Chicage comicbooks.com