Life, 1904-04-07 · page 11 of 41
Life — April 7, 1904 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Easter as a social event for the wealthy. The main illustration depicts elaborately dressed upper-class people at an Easter gathering, with the caption "THIS CANNOT BE THE REASON WHY YOUNG MEN STAY AWAY FROM CHURCH"—sarcastically suggesting that ostentatious displays of wealth and fashion are what actually keep young men from attending religious services. The accompanying text sections mock Easter's transformation from a religious observance into a conspicuous consumption spectacle. "The Test" notes the irony of charitable sentiments, while "The Price of Respectability" jokes that higher salaries enable status-seeking behavior. The satirical dialogue between Mrs. Von Blumer and her husband ridicules the wasteful spending on Easter clothes. The bottom row shows chickens in humorous poses—an "Easter lay," pun intended—as additional commentary on Easter commerce.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Test, NNY! how we love our friends, , And what we'd give for them ; We sigh for them, We'd die for them, Until—we live with them for Easter. ASTER is the principal social event yNn- that lies between the extreme price of violets and the opening of Newport. tes At one time it was a religious festival, ad in the calico days of yore, but now ° the most conspicuous clothes-bearing “ana day we have. rope. Having for forty days denied your- r tho self the luxury of being entertained by your unequals and had your meals RK. served with the blinds down, where you could enjoy them in peace, you now emerge from the gastronomic gloom that has surrounded you, and arraying yourself in an unpaid tailor’s bill, step out into the glare of the é/éte. The poor we have with us always, except at Easter. This is their day to deny themselves. The Price of Respectability. [™= wages when you get four dollars aday; but it's a salary when you get ten dollars a week. Laudable. ON BLUMER: Honestly, do you think it’s worth while to put so much money into Easter clothes? Mrs. Vos Biumer: Dear me, yes! Why, I've made every woman in church thoroughly discontented. EASTER, THIS CANNOT BE THE REASON WHY ¥% UNG MEN STAY AWAY PROM CHURCH, EASTER LAY, comicbooks.com