Life, 1903-12-10 · page 18 of 58
Life — December 10, 1903 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This humorous story satirizes early 20th-century domestic life and marital anxieties. Mr. Dimpleton discovers an unmailed dinner invitation to the Whitters—a social catastrophe that will anger his wife, Mrs. Dimpleton, who expects confirmation of their guests. The satire centers on masculine incompetence: Dimpleton forgot to mail the invitation, then discovers it days later. When he calls Whitter, complications multiply—the Whitters already have conflicting plans. Dimpleton's frantic predicament reflects period anxieties about male forgetfulness and wives' exacting domestic standards. The humor lies in Dimpleton's panicked reasoning: he realizes that canceling the dinner *before* his wife orders expensive food might actually spare her economical heart—presenting his mistake as thoughtfulness rather than negligence. The cartoons depict the chaos of the situation visually. This reflects era-specific gender dynamics where wives managed household entertaining while husbands fumbled social obligations.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
An Invitation to Dinner. IMPLETON put his hand carelessly in the pock- et of the coat he hadn’t had on for a week. As he did so, he felt a square en- velope. He brought it out. It was in Mrs. Dimpleton’s an- gular handwriting. Dimpleton felt creeping over him that sickening feeling, that numbing chill that comes toa man in the sudden presence of supreme disaster. The envelope contained an invitation extended to Mr. and Mrs, Whitter to take dinner with them on that very evening. Dimpleton, slightly —_ recovering, glanced at his watch. It was eleven o'clock. No time to lose, He called up Whitter over the tele- pho: “Say, old man.” he said,“ Did you 1 Cupit (to his followers) : THIS IS THE CHRISTMAS REASON. Por Tue NEXT WEEK OR $0 YOUR DIET WILL BE NOTHING HET MISTLETOE! know that you and Mrs. Whitter were to dine with us to-night?” “Why, no.”” “Neither did I. I just found it out. I was looking through my pockets and discovered an invitation from Mrs, Dimpleton, addressed to you and your wife. Forgot to mail it. You can come, can't you? You must come, old fellow, and help me out of this scrape.” Whitter whistled softly. “I don’t see how we can, old man,” he said. ‘Just before I left this morning, my wife told me we had an Wille (in a whisper): OW! RTHEL! 1 8'POSE 17's SHAVIN’ MAKES UNCLE ALPRED SAY THOSE BAD WORDS. “ MayBe THAT'S WOY OUR MINISTER WEARS 4 BEARD." engagement for to-night and to come home early. And she said it in a tone of voice that meant business, But say! A thought occurs to me. Are you sure your wife expects us?” “Why, she must, of course. She told me the day she gave me that in- vitation to mail, that it was for to- night and not to make any date, and she hasn't told me youweren't coming.”” “But we haven't acknowledged that invitation. We couldn't acknowledge an invitation we didn’t receive, could we?" This time Dimpleton whistled. “ By Jove !’’ he exclaimed, ‘ I never thonght of that. Well, I guess I'm in for it. She is probably as mad as a March hare because she hasn’t heard from you, I'll have to own upand take my medicine.” “Well, you have my sympathy, If there's anything left of you to-mor- row, call me up and I'll condole with you.” “ Thanks, old man. “ Good-by.” Dimpleton thought over his predica- ment forsome.time. Something must be done. He must begin to square himself with his wife at once. Every moment's delay was fatal. But how? Mrs. Dimpleton had probably waited until that morning to hear from Mrs. Whitter. In the meantime, had she ordered her dinner yet? Probably not, as she never ordered before noon. To order an expensive dinner, and then find there was no one to eat it but themselves, would break Mrs. Dimple- ton's economical heart. ‘‘So,"’ said Dimpleton, “I will stop this now. Later on I will explain it all, and she will forgive me when she con- siders that even if I was forgetful, I was thoughtful enongh to save the dinner.” Dimpleton rang up Mrs. Dimpleton. “Is this you, dear?" Good-by.” comicbooks.com