Life, 1903-11-26 · page 14 of 20
Life — November 26, 1903 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the recent marriage between an American heiress and the British Duke of Roxburghe. The top cartoon shows a couple at Niagara Falls with dialogue mocking the groom's indifference to danger—a jab at the groom's apparent lack of ardor or concern. The main article argues that while such international marriages were fashionable, British titles were becoming mere commodities rather than honors. The satire suggests wealthy American women pursue titles like "second-hand clothes"—temporary status symbols that may suddenly go out of fashion. The English, portrayed as pragmatically calculating, recognize American heiresses as the best "market" to sell deprecating titles to, while the women's "securities" (wealth, youth) will appreciate. The sidebar "Real Work" compares Gladstone's governing the nation and scholarly pursuits to following a bride around for two weeks—satirizing wedding preparations as equally demanding labor. The overall mockery targets both American materialism and British mercenary opportunism in transatlantic marriages.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mrs, He: ou, pean! 1p DOESN'T, ELL BE DOING IT INP International Wedding Bells. F ruaic ave ion | ‘eunrs es ers kept us informed of many incidents preliminary and coincident to the recent marriage of an Amer! heiress to the British Duke of Roxburghe. The bride's clothes and the accumulation of wedding gifts have had due noti and the pictures of the groom’s relatives have enlivened the Sunday papers. The s an interesting one of its kind. rsa name well known for several generations in New York, and ad- vantageously recorded in many tall books in the office of the clerk of this county. The xroom is a peer in good standing, and a good-looking and doubtless an amiable young man, We are used to international weddings of this sort. So far as is known, they turn out on the least as well as weddings alliane The heiress b for the parties e« between Americans of the same a matter for speculation, however, among the nd dispassionate observers, how long titles— first-rate British titles—will to loo «some to rich American girls who are looking about, There are signs that the English at home are becoming somewhat disillusionized about titles, and that those especially who have them, and are used to them, are mo} an asset than as an honor. disposed to regard them as They are valu- able only so long as th e valued. The English are very practi people, and though they are s! new standards of measurement and parison and change their habits when they do get a new fact thro heads they can act on it, and act efficiently. Moreover, they are well used toc tion of values and m deal to favor the id is traveling rapic peerages are not as valuable as they were, and are likely to go lower; that it is a good time for the owners of that sort of ~~ perty to turn it to the best practica account, and that by far the best market for it is in the United § ‘s. The liking of our young women for titles is akin to a liking for second-hand clothes. It may go out of Qj, fashion, and that very suddenly. Lucky isevery — } peer whose title helps him to find favor betimes in the eyes of a likely American heiress. Her securi- ties are likely to appreciate, his to depreciate, but if they are the right sort of people that will make little difference once they are one. nsider: a good to the conclusion that Real Work. “T'VE just been read- - ing Gladstone's life and the work he did. He governed the nation, wrote several books, studied two lar Ss saw a hundred people a day and answered all his mail, besides sitting up all night reading Homer.” “That's nothing. Have you ever followed a bride around for two weeks before her wedding?" A LOVE SONG. comicbooks.com