Life, 1897-12-16 · page 3 of 20
Life — December 16, 1897 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 533 This page contains a satirical cartoon and society gossip column. The main illustration shows two women in conversation, with the caption: "Miss Etherly: 'DON'T YOU THINK IT'S HORRID TO ASK ONE'S AGE?' 'YES. AND IT'S OFTEN SO UNNECESSARY.'" **The Joke:** The humor relies on a double meaning. Miss Etherly criticizes asking a woman's age as rude, but her companion's response—"it's often so unnecessary"—implies that Miss Etherly's appearance already reveals her advanced age, making the question pointless. The "Society" column below documents upper-class social activities (dinners, concerts, balls) among named individuals, typical of Life's satirical coverage of wealthy American society during this era. The page mocks both personal vanity about aging and the trivialities of high-society life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Miss Elderby: pow’ cam Society. RS. KAKKLYN HENNE says she may spend the winter in Europe. Her son, Topleigh, wears silk hose through the coldest weather, There is no truth in the rumor that he is engaged to Miss Sniftie Oldpoint. Mrs. Dressta Kyll will go somewhere on Tuesday. Ng i: WLW f \\ i Mr. and Mrs. Graiton Kloze are economiz- ing at Lennox. Mrs, 0. Howe Vulg will wear her diamond tiara at the Boodle Concerts in February, Mr, and Mrs, New Butsolid give a recep- tion on Saturday, Mrs. Leeds Thegang dined at home on Wednesday. Friday she dines with Mr, and Mrs. Gatheran Spend. At Mrs. Jimmy Overload's ball on Mon- day Mr. Pursey Strutt led the cotillon. “T YOU THINK IT'S HORRID To ASK ONE'S AGET Among those present were Mr. and Mrs. Parvenu Plump, Mr. and Mrs, Burstyngside Booule, Mrs. P. deV. Blazé Rounders, Mrs. Stoney Glare, Mr. and Mrs. Stilor Nuthen, and the Knightley-G: verybody was beautiful and the gowns were right up- to-date, Mrs.G, Brazen Glare was detained at home by an indigestion, but her cousin, Mrs. Golden Shan:m, managed to get there. The Golden Shamms are rapidly becoming one of our first families.