Life, 1907-09-05 · page 15 of 36
Life — September 5, 1907 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical short story titled "A Modern Cinderella," illustrated with a cartoon. The story parodies the fairy tale by having a Fairy Godmother offer a modern young man three traditional wishes (riches, fame, love). The satire mocks early 20th-century American materialism and social values. When offered wealth, the man worries about stock market losses. Fame appeals to him only because newspapers constantly cover him. Most pointedly, when Love is suggested, he dismissively dismisses it as old-fashioned—even novelists no longer take it seriously, he claims. The cartoon illustrates the punchline: the Fairy Godmother, horrified that her magic cannot fulfill his only actual request (making cheap-advertisement clothes fit well), disappears in despair. The joke is that modern consumerism and advertising have made even fairy godmothers powerless. The satire reflects Life magazine's recurring critique of shallow materialism, commercialism, and the decline of traditional values in contemporary society.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
283 The Fairy tapped the floor, nervously, wit wand. hen there’s nothing I can do for you?” she asked. “Nothing, thank you,” murmured the young mar a tone of polite reg Unless” And he started suddenly wp,a wild ment in his cried the “Anything “Could you,” he whis- J, hoarse with emo: tion, “could you make my clothes fit the way they do in the *This-suit-or this-overcoat -for -ten - dol- lars’ advertisements?" With a wild shriek of despair the Fairy God mother leaped into the steam radiator and disap- peared, while the modern young man sank back, with a groan of hope un fulfilled. D. J. Daskam “THE IDEE 0’ THEM SPENDIN’ THE HULL 0” YESTIDDY TRANSPLANTIN’ P'ISON Ivy." A Modern Cinderella 'HE Fairy Godmother brusked the cobwebs from her peaked hat. “You needn’t wait, Chambers,” she said, and the butler went softly out ‘The modern young man put down his glass. “To what am I indebted for this?” he began. ‘ush!”” said the Fairy. “I’m your Godmother, my dear, and I’ve come to grant you the regulation three wishes! Don’t be rash, of course, but try to re- member that my time is valuable.” “Deuced handsome of you,” began the modern young man, “‘but”— “Riches, of course, for the first,” in- terrupted his Godmother. “As light as you can conveniently, please! Moon- beam Consolidated was down three points in yesterday’s market!” “You're awf'ly kind,” murmured the modern young man, “‘but father resigned before the investigation, and" —— ENIUS must ever float a loan. ilroads?” snapped the Fairy. surance,” said the young man, The Large Frog Tells How He Achieved Notoriety Fish, can boast its Whales, Minnows in a Dish! I sit beside them And deride them, n that never fails! nearly wiggle off their tails ‘To hear me say “Pish! Pish!” Grace Clark Newton. ell, then,” said his Godmother, ‘ou'll want Fame!” ame!” echoed the “T can’t keep out of the pape The Whirld keeps a reporter young man, wearil now! s guised as a waiter at each of my clubs and the Choinal paid my for a flashlight of my “There's Love,” suggested the Fairy, timidly. “Love?” repeated the young man, in a tone of amazement “Yes, Love,” said the old lady. “Isn't there some king’s daugh “My dear Godmother!” exclaimed the young man, “I don’t like to appear rude, but aren’t you a little—er —just a trifle behind the times? Why, even the novel ists don't consider Love seriously, nowa- It’s quite _second-class—bour- Tommie Wood Soldier: Gosu, 1 DON’T THINK IT'S HARD TO LEARN How To swim comicbooks.com