The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine, August, 1913 Vol. LXXXVI. New Series: Vol. LXIV. May to October, 1913

This August 1913 issue of a once‑popular illustrated monthly captures the pulse of a changing America. It blends short stories, poems, and probing articles on politics, science, and art, all accompanied by striking engravings and tinted plates by H. C. Merrill and H. Davidson. Readers will find contributions from well‑known writers of the era alongside fresh voices, offering a lively cross‑section of early‑twentieth‑century thought.

Among the standout pieces is a sardonic vignette about a newly qualified nurse, whose internal dialogue turns a simple mirror‑check into a comic revolt against the rigid expectations of her profession. The narrative crackles with witty self‑observation, vivid regional detail, and a subtle critique of societal pressures on women in the medical field. Its playful tone sets the mood for the issue’s broader exploration of everyday struggles and aspirations.