Life, 1903-06-18 · page 5 of 24
Life — June 18, 1903 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on gender and class expectations in early 20th-century America. The main cartoon shows a soldier or military figure confronting a well-dressed civilian man, likely satirizing debates about masculinity and military service. The caption references "daredevils" and "oddsbodkins," suggesting wordplay about courage and social propriety. The text below discusses what constitutes a "gentleman," featuring a mother defending her daughter's choice of a union man as a suitor. The satire critiques class prejudice—the implication being that working-class men (particularly union members) were unfairly stigmatized as unsuitable despite possessing gentlemanly qualities. The overall message appears to challenge conventional social hierarchies that equated gentility with upper-class status rather than character.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Hero of Historicat Novd ; Look weer. IP YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE A SEQUEL TO THIS STORY, CUT OUT A FEW “GADZOOKS! “ODDSBODDIKINSES !"" AND JUST SUBSTITUTE A PEW PLAIN DAMNS. From Experience. ISS DOVEYE: We girls are just wild about Vic- tor Pretty. Mrs. BrntHarr: Now, I simply can’t endure him, I like strong, stern-browed men of indomitable will. “Gracious, what for?" “They are so easy to manage.’’ A Gentleman of the Future. Be AMMA, what is a gentle- M man?" It was in the year 1950 that these words were spoken, The kind and beautiful young mother drew to her heart the little girl with the patri- cian face, and replied : “A gentleman, my dear, is one who has never done any work. It is a mark of vulgarity to work, and no gentleman wonld think of it.” The little girl sighed a sigh of re- lief. “Then papa is a gentleman?’ she said, half questioningly. And her mother replied : “Surely, my dear. Does he not be- long toa trade union?’? comicbooks.com