Life, 1905-02-02 · page 17 of 40
Life — February 2, 1905 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several short humorous sketches satirizing American middle and upper-class social pretensions: **"An Example"** mocks writers who claim expertise without experience—the author writes love stories despite never being at sea or married long. **"When the Blow Fell"** jokes about a wife's priorities: her husband lies unconscious in the library, but she's only concerned her new hat has arrived. **"A Black Sheep"** and the letters from "Harold" satirize young men justifying questionable behavior (drinking, living separately from employers) through sophistical reasoning about social geography. The sketch **"Those Girls"** (bottom right) appears incomplete but references a Mr. Spooner calling on women. Overall, the page targets vanity, hypocrisy, and self-serving logic among respectable society. The tone is gentle mockery rather than harsh criticism—typical of Life's approach to social comedy during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE: 131 Misplaced Confidence. PRAISED Jane's Each told the other : .and Amanda’s wit; of it. An Example. HE AUTHOR'S WIF date How can you write an up-to- a story,when you haven't been on the water for ye irs? Tur Avrnok: Well, I've beer and yet I can write a love story. rried for twenty y ATS, When the Blow Fell. HE NEW MAID: Madam, your husband is lying unconscious in the library, with a large box beside him and crushing a paper in his hand. Mapas: Ab, my new hat has come ! LARA: Didn't you consider the Duke Mauve: Why, no—he was a little more than a rem: A HLACK SIDER night, Mills hated to have me go, but I was afraid my paj night make talk, I'm living near McFudge now st one avenue apart. He's on Fifth Avenue and I'm on Sixth. That's where I go him one better, Harald. New Yorx Deak Dav: McFudge caught me drinking a highball to- 1 da y and called me into his private office and lit on me like a thousand of bricks. He said: ‘Young man, I was your father’s friend, and [am your frend, You have ve ability, but an exe bility with a n't use in my business."” I guess he natural cx! ive thirst is sor was Fudge, ‘tis all well enough for society leaders and tramps, because we don't want to xo too long on the useless members of society. But it wasn’t intended for you and me." Harold. New York farm looking nowa- a hundred f that letter of at day in- ose girl-gam- it came OUt oF sas Love! all right. Harold. Myrtille's ov eweniown? Deak Goverson: How is the days? Is the mort ny day. Lalso take back what I said abi on. If McFudge had bee ud of the President of the United blers wouldn't have got a long shot at me. THOSE GIRLS. Miranda : M8, SPOONER CALLED UFOS ME LAST SIGHT, DEAK, AND TOLD MR comicbooks.com