Life, 1899-07-06 · page 13 of 20
Life — July 6, 1899 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes two distinct targets: **Top cartoon ("A Mistaken Expression"):** Mocks a photographer's difficulty getting a serious pose from his subject—a visual gag about the challenge of portrait photography. **"Ladies in Trouble":** Attacks the Colonial Dames of America, a women's hereditary society. The satire criticizes the organization as fundamentally undemocratic and un-American for its exclusivity principle. The author argues that such exclusiveness, while appealing to women, contradicts republican ideals and shouldn't inspire genuine patriotic enthusiasm. **"Lengthened":** A brief humor item playing on "lengthened" (extended) time—a Chicago girl claims a week in Philadelphia felt like ten years added to her life, sarcastically suggesting the city was tediously boring. **"Not a Misnomer":** The lower cartoon (Alabama reference unclear without fuller context) appears to be a separate satirical illustration. The page reflects early 20th-century progressive critiques of exclusionary social institutions as incompatible with democratic values.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A MISTAKEN EXPRESSION. Tv Photograp'er : OU, COME NOW! STUP BEING FUNNY, AND LOOK SERIOUS. Ladies in Trouble. OLONIAL DAMES must not be angry because the public smiles whenever their socicty is mentioned. The whole scheme is based on principles too diminutive and undemocratic for any real Amcrican to acccpt with. outablush. The pleasure the Dames derive from their existencc—as an organization—is duc, we suspect, to a feeling of exclusivencss. This cxclusivencss, while dear to the feminine mind, is, not one of the serious principles on which to establish a socicty that is to kindle a warm enthusiasm in this especial Republic. Lengthened. s¢7 FEEL as if ten ycars had beea added to my life,” said the Chicago girl, as she nervously adjusted her shirt-waist. “Good gracious! What have you been doing?” questioned her friend “Thave been spending # week in Philadelphia.” NOT A MISNOMER ALABAMA (ERE WE RExT).