Life, 1903-12-31 · page 7 of 21
Life — December 31, 1903 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page appears to be from a serialized story or novel rather than a political cartoon. The large illustration shows two figures on what appears to be a ship or boat deck, with dialogue and narrative text beside it. The content depicts a domestic servant scenario: Mrs. Dimpleton is meeting a new kitchen maid named Mary. The text shows Mrs. Dimpleton giving detailed household instructions about managing the kitchen, ice-box, and dishes—with particular emphasis on careful handling of fine china and preventing water damage. The satirical humor targets upper-class pretentiousness: an employer's fussy, elaborate instructions for basic domestic tasks, and her anxiety about servants damaging valuable possessions. The caption at bottom mocks this verbose instructional style. This reflects early 20th-century class tensions and servant-employer relations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“WHAT'S THE ROW, OLD ™. Suffering Editor! on—1t— DON'T YOU LIKE THE suIP’s Pang?" ‘Tt TUAT 1 DON'T like IT! THE RESECTION OF ANYTHING DOES NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY THAT IT 18 LACKING IN MERIT; ANY ONE—OP A—A—NUMBEN OP REASONS MAY RENDER A CONTRIBUTION UNSUITED TO OUR PRESENT USES. somewhat proficient at rhyming, and it oc- curred to me that we might easily manage our servants iu this manner. A little care in wording our instructions is all that is necessary."" “Of course,” said Dimpleton. “It’s simply fine! Ican scarcely wait.” At five o’clock in the afternoon the rear door bell rang. Mrs. Dimpleton, opening it, stood face to face with the portly Celtic 667 person whom sho had en- Raged at the agency the day before. Mrs, Dimpleton began at once: “Ah! Howdo you do? Is this Sarah or Delia? We've been looking for you. Are you Bridget or Celia? “ Your name I've forgot— I was actually dizay, I saw such a lot— Is it Maggie, or Lizzie?” The new arrival stared at her mistress in marked sur- prise, and hesitating on the threshold for a moment, finally entered the kitchen. “My name is Mary, ma’am,” she said. Said Mrs, Dimpleton : “Well, Mary, a pleasure It is to receive you! T hope you're a treasure, And now, ere I leave you, . “Tl show, as your wish is, How my kitchen is furnished; Just where are the dishes ; Just what's to be burnished. “ This room holds the china; T hope, when you grip it, You'll remember no finer There is, and not chip it. “ The ice-box right here is ; It drips, and below it The pan lies—iny fear is The box may o’erflow it. “So, Mary, just watch it! ‘The water, eject it! My hobby and crotehet It is—don't neglect it! “ And now for the present I'll stop; ‘tis sufficient. [ hope you'll be pleasant ‘And kind, and efficient. “In the attic your room is, ‘Tis sunny and airy. Within it no gloom is; Mount upward, O Mary!” Mrs. Dimpleton opened the door leading up the back stairs, and the new cook, paralyzed with fear, obeyed mechanically. At this mo- ment a latch-key in the front comicbooks.com