Life, 1901-03-28 · page 5 of 20
Life — March 28, 1901 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis The top cartoon illustrates "Not His Fault," depicting a confrontation between an old gentleman and a younger man in debt. The dialogue reveals the setup: the older man wished to marry Elizabeth but is now in debt; the younger man fell in love with her and caused the debt. The satire critiques romantic entanglement and financial irresponsibility—suggesting young men's romantic pursuits lead to their financial ruin, a common early-20th-century concern. Below are two short story sections: "Requescat" about Johnny's restless roving and failed business ventures, and "Success" about a tea merchant named Gilman who became wealthy through obscurity and quiet living. The page satirizes competing 1920s values: romantic passion versus practical financial security, and the paradox that success comes not from pursuit but from avoiding notice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a NOT HIS FAULT Old Gentleman: = You wisi TO MARRY KUZARETH Requiescat. you NY, in his restless roving, Y Found a pot of liquid glue; John, the maple syrup loving, Thought the was syrup, too, J. no longer now is r He is stuck upon the glue. Success. OW and then a man emerges from obscurity in acoffin, It may be a good w may be not. That depends upon the kind of obscurity that is left behind. The latest person to practice this be. lated method of making himself known to the world is one Gilman, a tea merchant, who lived near yes, sin “HOW DID You GET IN ME “OL PELL IN Love WITH Ve Bridgeport, Connecticut, and ex- cited the interest of his neighbors: by his exceedingly retiring dis- position, the surprising amplitude of his means, and the zeal with which he prosecuted the pursuit of happiness. He had two or three hundred tea stores in various cities, which. appear to have brought him in a very large in- come, and the sum of the accu- mulations imputed to him by the newspapers varies from two to millions. It seems seventy he had quarrelled with his rela- tives, and lived quietly for fear some of them might kill him, He did not wish to be killed because UT You age IN DEBT Tok worm : MERCY ON ME) BUTT WAS LUCKY To GET OUT OF THAT ROOK. 1 MAVE NEVER PELT #O SICK IN MY LIFE. comicbooks.com