Life, 1907-07-11 · page 14 of 24
Life — July 11, 1907 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a moral cartoon satirizing female vanity and materialism. A pious woman reads virtue maxims, yearning for spiritual goodness, but immediately becomes distracted by her reflection in the mirror. Satan appears offering a Faustian choice: a pure soul OR beautiful designer gowns (from fashionable houses like Paquin and Doucet). The satire targets the hypocrisy of claiming moral aspiration while obsessing over appearance and luxury fashion. The woman's immediate abandonment of her virtuous reading when presented with expensive clothes mocks the shallow priorities of society women—particularly those of modest means ("thirty cents" appearance) who covet high fashion. The final punchline leaves the reader to conclude she chose the gowns, not the soul. This reflects early 20th-century anxieties about consumerism, female materialism, and the corrupting influence of fashion advertising on moral character.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE-: Life’s Little Problems A VERY pious and beautiful woman sat in her hall bed- room and read a book of virtuous maxims. “Ah” she exclaimed at last, casting her book from her, “would that I might ever attain those altitudes of goodness for which I pine. If I could only succeed in subduing every frivolous and erring impulse, and live as certain saintly women have done, a benediction and a bless- ing to others, I should ask nothing more of life.” But that invention of the Evil One, a mirror, hung directly before her, and upon lifting her eyes she encountered her own image and saw that she was fair. “Tt is a pity,” she mused, “that any one with a face and figure like mine should have to wear clothes which make her look like thirty cents. Alas! It is very difficult for the poor to live the higher life.” At that moment there was a flash of red fire in the corner of the room and Satan appeared. “Do not be alarmed,” he said, gently; “I happened to be pas: ing and overheard your words. Let me confess that my curios- ity was aroused and I felt im- pelled to try a litthe experiment. Now, my dear, I happen to be in command of certain facilities which will enable me to grant one of the two wishes you have just expressed. You may have your choice of a beautiful soul, a soul without a stain; or you may these beautiful s which I shall show you.” He drew a gown you sce. And here is a love- from the rainbow- . ly evening wrap from Jeanne like collection and Hallee.” held it up that the ‘ The lady still continued lady might the bet- “It is a pity,” she mused, “that any one with a face and figure to read the maxims aloud, ter gaze upon it. like mine should’ have to wear clothes which make her look like but falteringly. It might be “Here is a dainty thirty cents.” said that she read with one little creation from cye and viewed the gowns Paquin,” he said, carelessly with the other, but still she vouchsafed no word. But after one quick glance, the lady read aloud and hastily “Come, come,” said Satan, impatiently; “I have no time from the book of virtuous maxims. towaste. Which is it? A beautiful soul or beautiful clothes?” “This is a superb thing from Doucet,” remarked Satan, And the lady chose—-which? Do you know? lifting another garment from the heap. “The new sleeves, Mrs. Wilson Woodrow. comicbooks.com