Life, 1904-07-14 · page 15 of 44
Life — July 14, 1904 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century American humor: **"Too Bad"** mocks pretentious artists. A painter asks about his work; the viewer compliments the colors but notes nature doesn't actually display such garish tints—satirizing both artistic vanity and insincere flattery. **"Not What You Say, but How You Say It"** illustrates how tone matters more than content. The same dialogue is presented multiple times with different emotional framings (tender, passionate, angry, curt), showing how delivery transforms meaning—a commentary on social performance and dishonesty. **"Two Successes"** presents opposing financial philosophies: one man succeeds through thrift and saving; another through spending beyond his means and relying on creditors' fear. Both claim satisfaction, satirizing how people rationalize contradictory life choices and self-deception about success. **"Source"** is a brief joke about the Devil inspiring artistic talent, mocking both the Romantic notion of artistic genius and moral compromise in pursuit of art. The overall theme: surface versus substance in social interaction, art, and personal narrative.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TOO BAD. “Mow bo YoU LIKE MY PAINTING?" “On, THE COLORS ARE exQutsite f Not What You Say, but How You Say It. «__LJE murmured softly, looking down into her eyes, "She could not speak for a moment, then answered —” —He cried rapturously. ° > . WHAT A PITY WE CAN MAVE SUCH TINTS IN NATURE.”? **—Stormed the old gentleman. “—— He answered back in a decided tone. “Was the furious query. “Was the curt reply. * . . “ She said, her brown hair min- gling with his, 51 “‘——He answered in a tender voice. **——She added sweetly. *¢ Was all he said. . . » ‘*——He asked in a coaxing tone. “She replied, letting her blonde head fall on his shoulder. “—He exclaimed passion- ately, “——Cried his wife as appeared in the doorw: . . . “——Was her tearful testi- mony. “—He answered ently, ‘The words came from the stern old Judge, as he hand- ed her the paper which pro- claimed her a free woman." John Edward Hazzard. indiffer- Two Successes. “Y * said the first man, I believe I may right- fully claim that I have been successful all my life. My rule has been to spend less than I earned and to save more than I spent."” “I've been successful, too,’’ said the other man, ‘although I went about it differently. I have made it a rule to spend more than I made and to owe more than I spent.” “But I have had everything I wanted and still can get any- thing I want, because the peo- ple know I will pay.” “Same here, I get anything I want, because they are afraid I won't pay for what I have had.” PALETTE: So you really think that Dauber takes his art seriously? Mautstick: I certainly do. Why, he sacrificed his wife and family to it, and even came near suffering hardships himself. Source. “«T REALLY don’t see how the Devil can do such able work.” “He's inspired.”” comicbooks.com