Life, 1902-07-24 · page 9 of 20
Life — July 24, 1902 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Little Katherine's Dream" & "An Interview" The top illustration depicts a whimsical garden scene where insects and creatures converse—a fairy-tale pastiche titled "Little Katherine's Dream," with a caption about pests "robbing our flower gardens and berry orchards." Below, "An Interview" satirizes modern life through dialogue between a sickly character and Cupid. The invalid complains that Boston's cold made him ill, and that modern life exhausts him. Cupid dismisses these concerns, claiming a change of scenery—mentioning London, Paris, Boston, Newport, and Waldorf—will cure him. The joke mocks wealthy Americans' assumption that constant travel and fashionable destinations solve health problems, while satirizing the vapid, leisure-focused lifestyle of the affluent classes who jet between prestigious cities seeking rejuvenation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AX wd AN’ LITTLE KATHERINE’S OREAM Farmers of Wild Flower Country: aut, Wa! 80 YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S WEEN ROBBING OUR FLOWER GARDEN® AND BERRY ORCHARDS. An Interview. I PRESSED the lily of the valley in the front door of Cupid’s residence—rather a neat device, by the way—and there was a merry tinkle that announced my presence inwardly. An elf in vellum bowed low. “«My master,” he observed, “ is not well to-day, but he is always glad to see a representative of Lire. Enter.” I found onr old friend and bene- factor sitting in an invalid’schair. — “Well, well,” I exclaimed. “This is ead. What's the trouble?”’ Cupid smiled grimly. “ Nothing serious,” he said. ‘‘I was over in Boston the other day and caught cold. Nasty place that.” “IT didn’t suppose,” I ventured, ‘that you were so delicate.” “I'm delicate,” said Cupid, “but wiry. A night in Newport will drive me to drink. I find that as time goes on Iam more easily worn out.” ** But I had no idea that you were any sort of an invalid.” I’m not!"’ said my host testily. ‘But this modern life is telling on me.” ‘Have you tried some of our modern remedies?" “Well, Ishould say! Christian Science nearly did me up. I was worse after it than before. Then I tried the gold cure. Nouse. I’m nervous. People affect me.” “ Bat surely ——" Cupid rang the bell.“ Bring us a syphon of nectar and some Scotch,” he said. ‘ Yes,’’ he continued, ‘ that's what I mean. Take girls, for instance. I used to be fond of girls—girls in general, you know. Of course there are some I take to yet. Butasa whole, they’re not what they used to be. Those Puritan maids were great! Now— well, take the summer girl. She ignores me almost com- pletely, and manages by herself.” “ What you need,” I observed, “ is a good long rest."" “Nothing of the sort,’’ said Cupid. “Solitude? Bah! What I need is the right folks.” “You seem in a bad way.” Cupid sipped his glass. It apparently revived him. He turned in his chair. A radianco came over his face. “Nonsense !"’ he exclaimed. ‘I just happened to be thinking of that last trip I made, and it put me in a pessi- mistic mood. London, Paris, Boston, Newport, Waldorf — But it will be all right. I'll pick up in the next few days, because I'm going—” “Where?” I asked. “ Slamming,’ said Cupid. Tom Masson, comicbooks.com