Life, 1901-08-08 · page 15 of 20
Life — August 8, 1901 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the "shirt waist" fashion trend of the era through caricatured male types (an investor, doctor, messenger boy, and others) shown wearing decorative shirt waists—typically women's garments. The humor mocks men adopting this style. The main narrative cartoon depicts a husband, Von Blumer, who extends his hotel stay with increasingly thin excuses to his wife while enjoying himself at "Rock Peak." When he finally returns home, preparing for confrontation, his wife casually reveals she spent two hundred dollars vacationing at the Ocean Front—matching his own misbehavior. The joke reverses his expected guilt: both have been unfaithful to their plans, and his stern accusation is undercut by her equal transgression. The caption's ironic tone ("The Doctor: that's the trouble. Late hours and too much rich food") suggests the moral compromise is mutual and amusing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
acre Cee? Tens eepesen) (wen The MExSenGeR Bor Tre investor AS THE SINT WAIST SEEMS TO BE POPULAR WITH MEN THIS SUMMER, WE OFFER A PEW DESIONS TO SUIT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS all that could be desired. Buthe had not been theretwenty- — man had noeffect.. He was aman, and that was cnough to four hours before he knew every one in the hotel. He was this gay Rock Peak crowd — on week-days he was the only surrounded, wherever he went, by a bevy of charmingyoung man. At every suggestion of his that he must return, he girls. His courageous protestation that he wasa married was greeted witha storm of outcries. And what a gorgeous time he did have, rowing, picnicking and frolicking! It took him back to his college days. The second day he had written to his wife that he was not fully satisfied with the hotel—that he would have to stay longer and find out more. Then later that he would have to make sure of the people there — and so on throngh a long line of miserable excuses. And at last, Mrs. Von Blumer ceasing to reply, he had torn himself away, and now he was about fo reap the harvest he had sown. Never mind! He wonld face the music. He walked up the steps, opened the front door, and went quietly upstairs to bis wife's room. She came forward to greet him, as if nothing had happened ; as if he had just come home from a hard day's work. “You were gone longer than you expected,’ she said, half reproachfully, as she kissed him. ‘ Did you stop at your office on your way uptown?” Von Blumer’s courage came back by leaps and bounds. “Yes,” he said, sternly, “I did. And what, in heaven's name, did you persuade them to let you have two hundred dollars for?" “Oh,” said Mrs. Von Blumer, carelessly, ‘I was liao sv kw trea See eiows wee bem RESIESS FALLIOR tae lonesome without you, 80 Tivo been down to the Ocean Tas Doctor : Tats THR TROUBLE. LATE MOURA AND Too NCCE BIcK Poop. Front for the last ten days.” Tom Maxson. comicbooks.com