Life, 1901-05-09 · page 8 of 20
Life — May 9, 1901 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Cinderella: A Grimm Tale Made Gay" by Guy Wetmore Carryl This is a humorous poem retelling of Cinderella that satirizes late-19th-century American materialism and social climbing. The illustrated central figure shows Cinderella surrounded by wealth—butterflies, fine dress, and luxury goods—rather than humble circumstances. The satire mocks how Gwendolyn and Gladys (the stepsisters) value shoes worth "half a crown" as status symbols, suggesting that average millionaires consider such prices astronomical. The moral at the end explicitly critiques how girls "exaggerate their proper worth" and judge themselves by material possessions rather than character. The poem uses the fairy tale framework to gently satirize contemporary consumer culture and the vanity of the Gilded Age wealthy class.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Cinderella, (A GRIMM TALE MADE GAY.) ch with ardor most intense Her buxoin figuse laced, Until hee willful want of sense Procured a woeful waist, For bound to marry titled mates Were Gwendolyn and Gladys Gates: But, truth to tell, the swains were few Of Gwendolyn, and Gladys, too. So morning, afternoon, and night, Upon their sister they Were wont to vent their selfish spite, And in the rude ; though her name was Leonore, t's neither there nor here, They called her Cinderella The kitchen was her sph Save when the hair she had t Of Gwendolyn, and Gladys, too ! ch night to dances and to fetes nt Gwendolyn and Gladys Gates : With aching heart she watehed them go, In silks and satins ¢ invited then vat on all they had!) But one fine t, ats, all alone, She watehed the flames leap higher, A bent and wrinkled fairy Hpon me grates Of Gwendolyn and Gladys Gates! “Ti now,” she added, with a frown, ~ Call Gwendolyn and Gladys down!" “ou! IP SHE WERE ONLY A NATURALIST!” i And ere your fingers you could snap There stood before the door No paltry hired horse and trap ;— No, no! A coach and four! And Cinderella, fitted out Regardless of expense, Made both her sisters look about with one look at her gown, ‘Turned Gwendolyn and Gladys down ! Wall-flowers, when thus compared with her, Both Gwendolyn and Glady: nee but gave them glances hard, No gracious word he said ; He scratched their dances off his card, And wrote her name instead : While where he would bestow his hand He showed them in a trice, By handing her the and ‘To cach of them an ice In sudden need of fire and fur Both Gwendolyn and Gladys were! At ten o'clock, most malcontent, Both Gw and Gladys went. Their sister stayed till after two, , with a smile sincere, The prince obtained her crystal shoe, souvenir “H reign together! Sine uu, you must be my bride Ie was no slouch, that prince! And into sud Jangu Both Gwen nand Gladys went. worth. very shoes they wear Are worth the av millionaire, Whereas few pairs town Can be half-sold for half a crown, Guy Wetmore Carryt comicbooks.com