Life, 1901-03-14 · page 15 of 20
Life — March 14, 1901 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes women's clubs, a widespread institution of the era. The main cartoon depicts a meeting plagued by procedural chaos and inefficiency: endless "orders," repeated motions, deferred petitions, and committees that kill initiatives. The punchline is that despite all this activity, "Business done: Simply none!" The satire targets both the clubs' bureaucratic dysfunction and, implicitly, questions about women's serious participation in civic organizations. The accompanying humor about a wealthy man (the "matter of degree" cartoon) and a doctor's exercise advice provides lighter filler content. The page concludes with a tongue-in-cheek editorial note: *Life* humorously rejects certain rhyme pairs (bonnet/on it, stupid/cupid, etc.) as unacceptable—a joke about overwrought romantic poetry submissions, likely parodying the magazine's readers' actual submissions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MATTER OF DEGREE. She (to him): PEOPLE SEEM ALWAYS TO BE THINKING OP YOUR MONEY? OF COURSE THEY ALE WHEN YOU HAVE 80 VERY MUCH. IT’ NATURAL. MAVING TIVE MILLIONS, OR EVEN TEN, 18 LIKE HAVING FRECKLES. 11/8 AN INPERTINENCE TO NOTICE IT. RUT WHEN YOU OFT TO HAVE A HUNDRED MILLIONS, ITA LIKE A TERMIDLE ERUPTION THAT STINS PUBLIC SYMPATHY, 60 THAT ANY ONE'S WARRANTED TO CRY, “POOR MAN! WHAT bo THE DocTons BAY?" Gun: How dare you kiss me before \? asking! He: Don’t you like occasionally to be surprised with a good thing? OCTOR: Do you exercise much? “I ride down to business every day in a Broadway car.” “Too violent. Try horseback riding.” 215 A Woman's Club. ITAIR installed, “Order!” called ; Hurried meetings Whispered greetings. Minutes read— “ What was said?” “Move, repeated !”” “ Please be seated !"” “ Reports, if any?” “Some!” How many?” “ Twenty-five. (“Sakes alive !"") “ What's your will?” “ Defer 'em still!” “That petition?” “Same condition As before.” (What a bore!") “* Dower to build?” “ Action killed In committee.” (What a pity 1”) “Business, new?” “Yes; afew! Ten resigned— Thirty fine “Causes, state?” “Can't!” “Too late!" “ Reasons, pray?” “ The matinge!" “Club dismissed !"" Rivals kissed. Business done : Simply none! T. D, Beasley, cas HEN did the window blush?” “ When it saw the weather strip.” Le would respectfully call the attention of his readers to the fact that the following rhymes are not acceptable at this office : honnet —-on tt stupid ‘cupid. pine valentine. — fair pair. comicbooks.com