Life, 1904-12-01 · page 35 of 64
Life — December 1, 1904 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: **"Sonnets of Schooldays"** parodies overwrought Victorian poetry with deliberately misspelled dialect verse about forgiveness between young lovers—mocking both sentimental romance and affected literary pretension. **"Diary of a Silk Waist"** is a comedic monologue from a working woman's perspective, chronicling her week of romantic entanglement, exhaustion from her job, and social embarrassments (a visible stain at a literary event). The humor derives from her matter-of-fact tone about intimate encounters and the triviality of her concerns. **"Information Wanted"** (bottom cartoon) shows what appears to be a vagrant or laborer asking when he last ate—a joke about extreme poverty or homelessness, with the boss's sarcastic response implying the man's desperation is exaggerated or unbelievable. The page reflects early 1900s American humor: satirizing romantic conventions, poking fun at working-class women gaining social independence, and making light of economic hardship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
547 wanted to. He's coming again to-night. Sunpay, He has held me in his arms all the evening. Oh, what bliss! I never felt so rumpled in my whole life, but it’s worth it ina cause like this. I saw him ing my owner, but that was only a bluff, For I feel quite certain that I am the one he really loves ae S Occupied. LARA: Did he pro- pose to you before or after he kissed you? Maup: I can’t tell. During the excitement I | forgot all the details. Sonnets of Schooldays. Diary of a Silk Waist. “KIL DID IT 'STURB YOU, SERAPHINA? DAT AM A MIGHTY CONVINCIN’ BOOK, FOR SHO’, I HOPE DE REFORMATION AM PERMANENT, SERAPHINA,” SONNET OF THE FORGIVENESS. Monpav: HEE duz nott speke too me butt passes bi Y, but I'm'tired! Been on duty It Depended. with hotty looks ann angur inn bur eye. all the afternoon. Some sort of HE MISTRESS: What is your shee wil not rede minoats to hur ano went eq, I brushed up against more sane? ? i senod hur flours shee sennds 5 re yaad DB ale ee : my i tide too speke too hur lass nite butt shee Rushing idiots than I have seen before Cox: Mrs. Jenkins. past coaldly bi uz iff shee didd not sea. : ) , ‘ Do you expect to be called Mrs. | ann hennry beamus sez he hurd hur say new at the busin Jenkins?” ime nuthen butt a worty littul jay. TuEeOAy, “Oh, no, ma‘am, not if you have an © luv u are thee swete kreem uv ann our Went to the matinée to-day. Some’ alarm clock.” butt o how badd u taist wenn u turn sour, one who sat behind me said, ‘Isn't wenn hennry tolled mee thatt u kood uv nockt it fierce?"’ and I couldn't make out Mee over with a fether ime so shockt whether she meant me or the play. ann hurrt too think thatt sucha gurl uz shee I only know that I was glad to get cood say itt ann foargett wott yoostoobee, home and be hung up. foargett thee daze wenn shee ann i were yung Wepnespay. thee meany menny times wee stood ann sung Off day. I slept for twenty-four inn singen skool. thee munney thatt i spent jours on a hook. too bi hur kanndy ann thee times we wennt too dansen partees, a littul hait likea bigg spunge wipes luv Kleen offtheestait, _1'Ve just been to a literary afternoon and all the shine has been taken out of me, I don't know how it happened, butt ile foargiv hur wich is like thee roze thatt trize too blossum underneeth thee snore. hut there's a slight spot on my back, ann sumday wenn ime dyen far away ss frum hoam ann frends shel kum too mee ann 8M every woman there saw it. I | say heard them talking to themselves. I shee didd not understand wott a bigg hart see my finish if this keeps wp. i hadd in mee. its offle hard too part too see hur evry day ann passen bi with hotty looks ann angur inn hur eye butt eaven iff shee cawled mee thatt, uno i wil foargiv bur, foar i luvd hur so. Fripay. Took a gasoline dip to-day, and feel better. Wonder what will happen to- night. I've been outin the air most 7. W. Foy, of the day and am hungry for an _ adventure. IRST LITTLE GIRL (scornjully) : SATURDAY. HAO RM ATION WANTED: We have ancestors, Last night I was made love to. “Say, BOSS, IT’S BEEN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS SINCE. Seconp Littce Girt: Well, so will He was awfully nice. I got as close to I HAD A Goop SQUARE MEAL.” I, some day! him as I could, but not as close as I “GREAT SCOTT! HOW DID You GET IT?” comicbooks.com