Life, 1910-12-15 · page 15 of 44
Life — December 15, 1910 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical sketch mocks the stereotype of the early-20th-century workaholic husband, obsessed with business and the stock market. The "Busy Man," John Smith, is so absorbed in his newspaper that his wife Helen's dramatic confession—that she no longer loves him and wants a divorce because she loves someone else—barely registers. The joke targets both male indifference and misplaced priorities: he dismisses her emotional crisis as a frivolous interruption to his business concerns, unable to comprehend that personal relationships might matter more than profit margins. The wife's escalating desperation ("wistfully," "angrily," "decidedly") contrasts sharply with his detached annoyance, amplifying the absurdity. This reflects early-1900s anxieties about industrialization's erosion of domestic life and marital connection among the professional classes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Yes, My Dear, What Is It?” The Busy Man and His Wife A Play in One Gasp CENE:—A pretty little breakfast-room in the home of Mr. John Smith, the “ Busy Man.” Mr. Smith is seen engrossed in the stock news in the morning paper, while Mrs. Smith is charming in a pale blue negligée, and sips her coffee with an “I’ve-made-up-my-mind ” air. His Wire: John, will you do'me a favor? Tue Busy Man (without looking up from his paper): Yes, my dear, what is it? - His Wire (nervously) : Well, I—er— Busy Man (impatiently) : Hurry, my dear, what is it? His Wire: I have a confession to make, John. Busy Max: Don’t bother; confessions take up so much valuable time. His Wire (wistfully) : I don’t love you any more. (Busy Man continues reading his paper.) Hts Wire (angrily): Didn't you hear what I said? Busy Man (apparently annoyed at the interruption) : Yes, that’s all right; that’s all right; don’t worry. His Wire (decidedly): But I want you to get a divorce from me! Busy Man (exasperated): Isn't that just like a woman! Now, you know, Helen, that I can't take the time from my business for anything so frivolous. (Returns to paper.) His Wire (leaning forward): But, John, I love someone else. You——