Life, 1903-11-12 · page 8 of 20
Life — November 12, 1903 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains social commentary and humor about upper-class behavior and etiquette. **"From a Society Woman's Diary"** satirizes the pretensions and contradictions of wealthy society women. The excerpt mocks a woman's false indignation when a milliner questions payment, while revealing her own snobbery about cultivating "poise" rather than genuine virtue. **"Bartenders are often total abstainers"** presents a ironic observation about moral contradiction. **"Chloroforming the Cat"** shows a humorous two-panel sequence depicting someone struggling to control a cat, illustrating domestic chaos versus composed pretense—fitting the page's theme of gap between appearance and reality. **"The Guilt Conscience"** (dark photograph) appears to depict a supernatural or psychological scene, likely commenting on moral anxiety. The overall theme critiques hypocrisy and social performance in Gilded Age society.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
From a Society Woman's Diary. Y milliner gave mea shock to-day. “When,” said she, ‘does your ladyship intend paying me what you owe me The ungovernable curiosity of low-born women! It made me blush for my sex. I was not unkind to her. But I deemed it my duty to chide her; and when she spoke (rather petulantly, I thought) of starving, I recommended her to cultivate poise BARTENDERS are often total abstainers, and mission- aries almost always are. CRLOROFORMING THE CAT. Nusa T is the business of the hostess to feed the conversa- tion, not to engross it. TUB GUILTY CONSCTENCE. comicbooks.com