Life — July 30, 1903 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Page 97: Life Magazine Satire The main illustration shows a woman reclining in a gondola under moonlight—a romantic scene accompanying the musical notation "Con moto tranquillo e dolce" (gently and sweetly). Below are three satirical pieces: **"Nobody's Boy"** mocks working-class ambition, suggesting a nursery child will eventually find "proper places" in society's hierarchy. **"Diamonds"** satirizes wealth inequality: Eight American women owned five million dollars' worth of diamonds at a recent London ball, yet many women lack even the "crust" (basic means) to wear them. The satire questions whether such luxury is genuinely "recherché" (refined) or merely fierce. **"Bad news"** offers a cynical observation that bad news is generally accepted as true—a comment on public credulity. The small bird illustration's caption remains unclear from the OCR.