Life, 1899-12-02 · page 17 of 44
Life — December 2, 1899 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical domestic comedy scene depicting a young man urging his widowed mother to enter a "contest" to become a princess's stepmother after seeing a newspaper advertisement. The humor operates on multiple levels: **The Setup:** A baker's casual newspaper wrapping becomes the catalyst for the son's scheme—a classic device mocking how ordinary people chase unlikely opportunities. **The Satire:** The widow's cautious, sardonic responses mock both her son's naive enthusiasm and society's attitudes toward remarriage. Her quip about needing "posterity's opinion" before marrying a monarch satirizes how people seek external validation for major life decisions. **The Social Commentary:** The piece gently ridicules class ambitions—the idea that a modest widow might become a princess through marriage—while also poking fun at elderly women's actual limited life choices and society's dismissal of their perspectives as irrelevant ("your ideas are quite revolutionary"). The artwork shows an ornate royal throne room, visually contrasting the widow's humble circumstances with this fantastical aspiration, emphasizing the absurdity of the scenario.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
As the baker handed over the twisted loaf, he wrapped it in a piece of the newspaper in which was the notice already quoted, and, on his way home, the young man's eye caught the words: “Wanted—A_ stepmother.” He could hardly wait for the elevator to reach the modest flat ou the seventh floor before he had rushed into the widow's apartments and breathlessly read aloud the item. “There, mother !" he cried, ‘* Lalways knew that some day there would be a chance for you!” “How do you mean, my son?” asked the widow, placidly, laying aside her spectacles, “Sho ordered the coutest to begin.” * The hand of fate is in it,” he shouted. with enthusiasm. ‘ Promise me that you will not let such an opportunity pass by! You must be the princess’ step- mother, Grant me this boon!" “] have never refused you any rea- sonable request,” said she, thoughtfully, “But this really requires some delibera- tion.” “Why, mother, everybudy says tha the king is perfectly charming and ——” “Moderately respectable monarchs are always described as charming—by their contemporaries,” said the widow. ‘‘ Now if I could only get the opinion of pos- terity, I should feel safer —" “What have clderly people starting out to make their fortunes got todo with safety!” he exclaimed, impatiently. “Now, if it were J who was to marry, caution would be in place—but elderly people—and second marriages—really, your ideas are quite revolu- “I suppose you must be right,” she said, musingiy. ‘ You've had litte or no experience of life, and your opinions ought to be fresh and unbiased by the exultation of success or the bitterness of failure.” So the widow rose slowly, and, picking the threads carefully from her gown, comichooks.cely)