Life, 1909-02-04 · page 19 of 40
Life — February 4, 1909 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two pieces of satirical fiction from *Life* magazine, a prominent American humor publication. The top illustration contrasts transportation "Then and Now"—a horse-drawn carriage versus an early automobile—a common theme in early-1900s satire about modernization. The main story, "All Was Over," is a humorous romantic comedy. A young man must pass a family-reunion "test" before marrying his girlfriend. The satire targets the dreaded obligation of meeting extended family: intrusive grandparents, questioning aunts, nosy uncles asking about salary, cousins making awkward jokes, demands to read aloud and entertain children. The punchline mocks melodramatic male anxiety—the boyfriend dramatically flees, declaring "Give me liberty or give me death!" (Patrick Henry's famous quote) as if family obligations were unbearable tyranny. The joke reflects period anxieties about courtship rituals and family scrutiny, presented with exaggerated masculine cowardice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Beauty's Sisters YSTERY is Beauty's sister— Follows fast where Beauty ders. Who that sees her can resist her, As with dusky eyes she ponders? Chin in hand, she sits half smiling, Thrilling, teasing and beguiling Beauty hath a sad-eyed sister, Tender-visaged Melancholy. "Neath the moonlight seek and her— She will teach you all is folly: Like a sick and broken spirit, Barred from joy but fluttering near it Henry Robinson Palmer. All Was Over “ ARLING, I have something to tell you.”” ‘As she spoke, the young and beautiful girl looked searchingly at her lover. “ Are you prepared,” she murmured, “for the worst?’’ He stirred uneasily. wan- tryst “Yes, dear.”’ “Before we can be married it will be necessary for you to submit to a test Next week there will be in our house a fomily reunion. You must be there.’* Suppressing an involuntary shudder the young man, as is usual with all he roes, controlled himself by a supreme effort “Must it be?’ he asked. “It must. There is no other way.” He paused, and then, his voice quive: ing with emotion, said “Your grandfather and grandmother will be present, I suppose? "’ “Oh, yes, indeed. As you must know, no family reunion is complete withozt them."" “There will be an orthodox aunt— ‘one who will question me closely about my religion, my habits, and my pros- ty “Also an uncle, one of the familiar curious kind, who will wish to know about the cost of my clothes, what my salary is. and how cigarettes [ smoke a day?" “ Certainly.’ “A cousin or so? The kind who will test my sense of humor, and make side remarks to your mother and father? Naturally."" “Will I be asked to read aloud?” “ Probably.” “And romp with the children? ’* “OF course."” “And _ possibly whether I know “Very likely."” The young man arose. “Darling,” he muttered, “we have Lad many happy hours together. I loved you. I still love you, but this is too much. To-morrow I will return your letters. Farewell, forever.’’ And as he went out through the front gate he marked it with a double cross, saying to himself with a glad smile: “ Give me liberty or give me death!” many 0 carve-—just to see comicbooks.com