Life, 1894-06-14 · page 10 of 14
Life — June 14, 1894 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 388 from Life Magazine This page contains two distinct satirical pieces: **Top section:** "Dear Life" advice column mocking women's elaborate Edwardian hairstyles through exaggerated illustrations. The drawings show increasingly absurd hat and hair combinations—labeled "If this—," "Why not this?" and "To this?"—satirizing the escalating ridiculousness of contemporary women's fashion. **Bottom section:** A dialogue titled "Locally Telephone" between characters discussing a young woman's graduation gown and commencement essay. The satire targets the pretension of educational ceremonies and gendered expectations—a male character dismisses women's intellectual pursuits, while the woman defends her work. The accompanying illustration shows a rotund policeman character, likely for comedic relief. Both segments mock upper-class social conventions and gender dynamics of the early 1900s.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
388 DEAR LIFE With a view to ridiculing the present style of women's headgear, you recently asked We Wuy sor THs? But if you had to sit behind either at the theatre, do you not think you would prefer To THIS? Tey CTS this dear little LiFe “ Yes, this is Lire, but we don’t feel so little. We've moved into our new building, you know, With whom have we the honor of conversing ? “I'm a Sweet Girl Graduate.” “Oh, Charmed, we're sure. What can Lik do for you?” “ Nothing, only talk to me. I've been so worried over my that | Commencement gown and my graduating es haven't had a moment’s comfort for a month.” “We have no doubt that the gown is a dream, but what is the subject of the essay ?" Is Man, in the Integral Scheme of Race Development, as Important a Factor as Woman.’” “Isn't that a pretty hefty subject for a young woman to tackle?" “Oh, my, no, Mine is easy compared with some of the > LIFE: others. One of the girls had to write about * The Intluence of the Ten Commandments on the mind of Voltaire as Evi- denced by the Prevailing Tendency of the Hibernian Race to Affiliate with Tammany Hall.’ “Goodness, gracious. And did she write much?” “Ye-e-s. Of course the Professor of Rhetoric corrected her manuscript and told her some things she ought to add.” “ And did you write all of yours?” “Ye-e-s. That is 1 wrote a good deal, and the Professor scratched out some, and told me some things to add, and when I had added them he went all over it and changed a good many of the words.” “ And what is the idea of writing these essays?” “ Why, Lire, how stupid you are. To deliver on Commence- ment, of course. A school wouldn’t amount to anything at all, you know, if it didn't have,Commencement and graduat- ing essays. All schools do, you know, And then there are things printed in the papers about them.” “ That's nice for the schools. And all the girls have new gowns for this occasion that gets the school in the papers ? ” “ Almost all. Some of the poor girls can’t afford it, but the rest of us try to look our loveliest because our friends send us lovely flowers, and our fathers and mothers and brothers and—and—Tom, you know—are there.” “ That's lovely. And if the family cook should have left on the day of your return, of course you would cook the don't—believe—I'd know—how, but I'd try.” hat's right. The opportunity would give you a chance to demonstrate the great truths of your graduating essay Go it, fair daughter of America.” JS. AM. PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY. ARRAH, AN IS IT VERSELF, Policeman Murpny, 1 Policeman: AT AS THAT SAME, BY THIS TOKEN. I'VE GOT ORDERS TO GO DOWN AN’ ARREST TWO MINERS OF THE SHLAUGHTER HOUSE GANG! comicbooks.com