Life, 1909-10-21 · page 5 of 32
Life — October 21, 1909 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on social status and ancestry. "A Grafier" presents a poem by Omar Hamel about a man who stole a kiss and is now considered a "hardened grafter" (con artist/swindler) by society. The "In 1950" section mocks social pretension, featuring a woman of humble origins claiming exclusive ancestry—specifically boasting descent from "Discoverers of the North Pole." The accompanying illustration labeled "The Magnetic Pole" shows her with a telescope, satirizing how people fabricate or exaggerate family lineage for social respectability. The photograph below depicts what appears to be a street scene with dialogue about debt repayment ("seven dollars and fifty cents"), using common people's financial struggles for comedic effect. The satire targets American class consciousness and genealogical snobbery.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE A Grafter STOLE a kiss, though fearing she Might press the charge of larceny— Then watched her mantling cheek until i judged ‘twas not against her will; And as she glanced a-down the street Quite quickly filched another sweet; These thefts increased with haste thereafter, TiM now [ am a hardened grafter. —Omar Hamel. In 1950 “QHE belongs to one of our best fami- lies."" “ Did her ancestors come over in’ the May- flower? "" “Oh, no. She's much more exclusive than that, She's a ‘Daughter of Discoverers of the North Pole.’ "* THE MAGNETIC POLE “SHAY. CHOOFER, HOW MUCH pO 1 OWE vE? “SEVEN DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS, SIR.” “WELL, SHAY, BACK UP ‘TIL VE COME TO THIRTY CENTS. THAT'S ALL 1 Gor.” comicbooks.com