Life, 1897-06-17 · page 15 of 20
Life — June 17, 1897 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes women wearing borrowed clothing or accessories—likely fashionable feathers or plumage they didn't own. The cartoon's title "Turn About Is Fair Play" suggests the satire is retaliatory. The illustration shows hunters with guns pursuing cherubs (cupids) through a forest, apparently to harvest their wings/feathers. The joke: if ladies are "fond of wearing borrowed plumage," they deserve to have it taken from them the way feathers are harvested from birds. The text below parodies theatrical "recipes," treating playwriting like cooking—a contemporary satirical format common in *Life* magazine. This appears designed as a humorous aside rather than directly related to the cartoon's message. The satire targets what the author views as vain women engaging in dishonest fashion practices, using dark humor (hunting cherubs) to mock the practice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TURN ABOUT IS FAIR PLAY. DEDICATED TO CERTAIN LADIES WHO ARE FOND OF WEARING BORROWED PLUMAGE. | AKE several interesting charac- ters. Sprinkle them with good looks and put them in a modern period with plenty of bright dialogue. Select a sound plot, nottooold. Use a little to separate the hero and hero- ine, and lay the rest aside until needed. Take one stout villain—two may be RECIPE FOR A GOOD PLAY. used if a high flavor is desired, but one is usually sufficient. Mix him thoroughly with the other characters and add the plot very slowly. Stir constantly until the plot thickens. After stirring vigorously for two acts, if then too thick, thin to the proper consistency with one or two love scenes before adding the climax, Add a dash of realism, and at the last moment stir in the long-lost relative. Have ready several picturesque scenes. Turn the characters into them. Garnish with talent and serve as the curtain rises. comicbooks.com