Life — October 13, 1904 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Explanation for Modern Readers This page addresses a question posed to *Life* magazine's editor: "Are Three American Women Out of Five Disappointed in Their Husbands?" The illustration shows a woman sitting at a desk, presumably writing correspondence. The page publishes reader responses debating whether women's marital disappointment stems from unrealistic expectations versus actual male shortcomings. The satire targets both genders: men who make exaggerated courtship promises they don't keep after marriage, and women who harbor romantic ideals incompatible with ordinary husbands. One response sardonically notes that a woman who buys a man expecting to change him has essentially "bought a gold brick"—a period slang term for a worthless purchase or confidence scheme. The piece critiques the gap between romantic idealization and marital reality in early 20th-century American relationships.