Life, 1909-04-22 · page 11 of 32
Life — April 22, 1909 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical poem and illustrations critique the relentless domestic demands on women. The text mocks women's supposed "dreams" by cataloging their actual exhausting realities: fashion constraints, household management, childcare, cooking, laundry, and social obligations. The cartoon illustrations reinforce this message visually. "The Woman's Number" shows a chaotic vehicle overloaded with burdens. "No Dream" and "Take My Slat, Madam" depict women overwhelmed by responsibilities and social expectations. The concluding editorial voice sarcastically tells women to "pursue your willful way" while acknowledging this is "the end of every woman's dream"—meaning their dreams die under domestic drudgery. The satire critiques both women's constrained circumstances and society's dismissal of their suffering as inevitable female fate.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WOMAN'S NUMBER Ballad of a Woman's Burdens BY CAROLYN WELLS. HE burden of the Fashions. Vain delight, For who can ve new gowns whene’er she will? And no refurbishing will quite set right A last year’s sleeve, tricked out with puff and frill. The sheathing skirt defies all homely skill, (Although the pattern may allow each sea Nor dare she brave a city. tailor’s bill; This is the end of every woman's dream! The burden of her Figure. This is hard; ‘orever must she have a watchful care Lest here she measure more than half a yard— Or more than twenty-seven inches there ; Her pretty petticoats she may not wear, She may not eat of swects or starch or cream, Yet when she would get slim, she but gets spare; This is the end of every woman's dream! The burden of her Household. Weary grind! By none may that incessant care be shared; Forever is the furnace on her mind, Forever must the linen-room be aired. Chance callers must not find her unprepared; With petty worries all her moments teem.— She would discharge the cook if she but dared This is the end of every woman's dream! The burden of the Neighbors. Mrs. Storrs Has new lace curtains, both upstairs and down; The Vanderdynkens ¢ new hard-wood floors With fancy borders, So has Mrs. Brown. The Fosters spend the winter months in town; The Meriwethers heat their house with ste: And Mrs. Claussen has a Paris gown! This is the end of every woman's dream! ‘The burden of the Suffrage. This she craves As if she hadn’t burdens now galore; She rants about oppressed domestic slaves, And tells their maudlin stories o'er and o'er. Miss Goose: 1 po More 1'LL DREAM TO-NIGHT! 1 HAVEN'T DREAMT FOR THE LAST TWO NIGHTS, AND YOU KNOW IF I DON’T DREAM FOR THREE NIGHTS 1 SION ILL TE AN OLD MAID. She gocs to meetings twice a week, or more, Where stressful ladies air their views extreme; She makes herself a nuisance ard a bore: Cc This is the end of every woman's dream! Princess, and Sisters all, to you I say, Heed well this rhyme and ponder well this theme; Go your own gait! Pursue your willful way! This is the end of every woman’s dream! “TAKE MY SEAT, MADAM”