Judge, 1920-10-16 · page 11 of 32
Judge — October 16, 1920 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "One Woman and Another" — Satirical Commentary on Modern Marriage This 1920s short story with illustration satirizes changing gender dynamics in marriage. The plot shows a husband (Leyland) criticizing his wife's appearance at breakfast—she's "frumpish" with "cold cream" traces—while he remains immaculately groomed. His complaint about her looking presentable "before we were married" suggests wives' post-marital neglect of appearance. The satire cuts both ways: Leyland appears shallow and superficial (his "fetish was a fair outside"), yet the story also mocks the wife for letting her grooming slip. The cartoon's title and setup—one woman (the neglected wife) and another (her well-maintained friend Mrs. Burwick, "turned out so perfectly")—implies judgment about feminine standards. For modern readers, this reflects anxieties about wives abandoning pre-marital effort. The piece critiques both spouses: husbands for valuing appearance over substance, and wives for supposedly surrendering to domestic comfort. It's a snapshot of early 20th-century marital expectations and gender tensions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Bur your tone! Axp wuat a Question!” One Woman and Another By J. A. Watprox Illustration by LAwReE HE Leylands occupied an claborate suite in one of New York’s noted hotels. Usually they had break- fasted together upstairs, but this morning Leyland had alone sought the hotel breakfast-room and was seated when Mrs. Leyland appeared. Apparently she was disturbed by his change of habit. He looked at her curiously with an uncongenial “Good morning” as she took a chair opposite. Leyland, groomed for the morning, «night have served model for tailoring, haberdashery, and all else that superfic jenotes a man of fashion. His fetish was a fair outside. Mrs. Leyland, as lately had been her habit, was a bit frumpish in appearance. She had not enjoyed the full ministration of her maid, apparently. Her hair needed attention, and there were traces of cold cream. They had been married about a year. “Good morning, dear!” she responded to his salutation Leyland proceeded with his grapefruit. but was manifestly disturbed by her presence. “I wonder,” he asked after a silent period, “if you would have permitted me to see you as you now are before we were married?” He looked about the room and added: “Tt’s lucky there are few persons down yet.” ce Fettows Mrs. Leyland sat up, startled. “What do you mean, John?” Vasn’t my question plain? You understood what I asked, I dare say.” “But your tone! And what a question! here, and hurried to have breakfast with you.” “T would rather you had taken time to be presentable. I'm tired of seeing you as you look now, and worse. I prefer to eat alone.” “Why, John!” land, without finishing his breakfast, rose and left her. weeping, she went out after himy but he had gone. In her own richly appointed and intimate room Mrs. Leyland telephoned her dear friend, Mrs. Burwick, who also lived at the hotel, to come to her at once, if possible. A maid appeared at the door. “Shall I help you now, madam?” she asked. A bell sounded. “Not yet, Agnes,” said Mrs. L “That is Mrs. Burwick. Please go to the door.” Mrs. Burwick was past middle age, but she was turned out so perfectly as to dress and otherwise that she might have been taken for thirty. “What is the matter, dear?” she asked. I found you were And Mrs. Leyland became tearful as Ley- And land. comicbooks.com