Life, 1895-12-12 · page 3 of 18
Life — December 12, 1895 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page This page contains two main sections: **Top illustration**: A domestic scene showing a woman confronting a man about his infidelity. The caption reads: "What brought you to this sad condition?" / "Perhaps you won't believe it, mum, but it was the fatal gift of beauty." The accompanying text discusses wealthy society women (Mrs. Astor, Mrs. Lloyd Brice) and their jewelry collections, establishing a satirical commentary on how beauty and material wealth corrupt morality. **Bottom section**: Brief humorous dialogues mocking academic pretension ("A La Dunraven") and medical terminology. The final joke uses "Paderewskitis" (referencing pianist Paderewski) as a fabricated disease name. The page satirizes both aristocratic vanity and pseudo-intellectual pomposity typical of Edwardian-era Life magazine humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
[7 "5 doubtless very gratifying to Mrs. Astor—there is but one, you know—to read in her morning paper that “ Mrs. Astor was quite regal in black velvet and silver, with a stomacher of diamonds, and some handsome jewels in her coiffure.” And it is safe to suppose that her son's wife was not offended upon discovering that the next sentence in the same article went on in this wise: ‘* While her beautiful daugh- ter-in-law, Mrs, John Jacob Astor, was fair to gaze upon in a gown of white satin, made with large puffed sleeves of turquoise blue velvet, the corsage being ornamented with some superb jewels.” Those who have a knowledge of human nature will believe that these two female hearts experienced a gentle throb of pride. And it was an honest pride, for the Astors are very rich, and their jewels, in all human probability, have been paid for in full. And then, it must be sort of nice to have this public recognition of one’s abilities. The same article goes on to say that * Mrs. Lloyd Brice’s blond beauty was shown off to excellent advantage in a gown of pale lemon- colored satin and lace. Her jewels were diamonds, emeralds and pearls. Beside her in the box sat Mrs. Henry Sloane, who seemed ablaze with diamonds. Her necklace of solitaires nearly rivalled the electric lights in brilliancy.” While casting no slur upon Mrs, Lloyd Brice or her claims to dis- tinction, we confess that Mrs. Sloane has every appearance of being the more remarkable woman of the two, as this lady is an illumination unto herself; and in the quiet of the domestic circle can don her diamonds that she and her household may read and write by their effulgence. And thiseconomy in gas may lead to other jewels yet more resplendent, which, in time, may be duly chronicled in the daily news- papers for the education of the public. HE song that Adam sang in the Garden of “ There's Only One Girl in the World for Me.” THE ECCS THE CATERPILLAR = THE COCOON .. AB OVO. “WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS SAD CONDITION?” “ P'RAPS YOU WON'T RELIEVE IT, MUM, BUT IT WAS THE FATAL GIFT OF BEAUTY.” HE WANTED TO KNOW. “THEY say Henpeck’s wife died unexpectedly.” ‘es. Henpeck gave her the wrong medicine.” “Was it a mistake?” A LA DUNRAVEN. LI: I've found out why Harvard takes defeat with such bad grace. U.P.: Why? Ett: It's English, you know. yan GASS: Miss Trivvet is quite sic SWayBaCk : What is the trouble ? THE CLOTHES MOTH. = Van Gass: An acute attack of Paderewskitis. comicbooks.com