Life, 1911-08-24 · page 18 of 40
Life — August 24, 1911 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical society gossip column mocking the wealthy elite through invented ridiculous names: "Countess Bot'n Sold," "Nobson-Groveil," "Tenpercent-Pyncher," and "Count Boodlescekor." The exaggerated nomenclature—playing on greed ("Tenpercent"), pretension, and corruption—ridicules the social register's obsession with titles and wealth. The illustration depicts fashionably dressed socialites, emphasizing the era's ornate formal wear. The dialogue snippet between Murphy and Dix, where Murphy—apparently a political boss—offers to provide "a man nominated, a bill passed," satirizes machine politics and corruption infiltrating high society. The column suggests wealthy Americans paid for access to political power and social climbing. The final "Modern Wonder" joke about bleaching hair mocks women's vanity. Overall, the page ridicules both the nouveau riche's social pretensions and the deeper corruption linking politics to society's elite circles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
© of the most interesting functions last week was a reception and con- versazione given on Tuesday by Juston Nass at his Lenox home. A feature of the evening was a fascinating ch the Follies of Virtue, by Miss Funnic Rekkod. Mr. O and Mrs. Robert Goldengraft have taken a chateau in France for the ‘coming autumn, Their daughter, Gau- ic Goldengraft, it will be remembered Front row Leeds 3 “Oh, very well, and— Mr. Merp! Yes, yes, Mr. Dix.” you let me be President next time? “Will T let you——. Mr. Dix, sing us a so “What kind of a song would you like, Mr. Murphy?” “Well, try to sing us ‘All Alon With this Dix broke out with: “I'm all alone, alone, nobody is. Mr. Dix, you're out of tune.” “I'm all alone, I e “Shut up!” And with that Murphy took him off his Hat Ha! Say reading from left to right: Countess Bot'n Sold . Mrs. Groundfloor Jones, Miss E The Hon. Tenpercent-Pyncher, Count Boodlescekor, Mr. Braynliss Pupp, Baron Hitteran Kikka. ‘LIF Ee Society by everybody who is anybody, was mar- ried last spring to Count Alphonse de la Cherche-Herétiére. Mr and Mrs. S. Nobson-Groveil, while in London last nth, had the honor of touching with their own lips the George was crowned. lege accorded to only the robe in which This is a pri choicest Americans. It was fully appre- ciated by Mr. and Mrs. Grovelt Last about twenty Saturda members SOME INTERESTING PEOPLE Mrs. a Lassten-Tawkor, Mrs. n Murphy turned to me and do you want: a man nomi- nated, a bill passed or a g: York; that’s about all anyone ever visits me for.” “I up on a purely personal mat ter; I wanted to see your trained Gov- ernor; much obliged for the exhibition; 1 am going back to Wall Street to lay out a fall programme for Taft.” mbling house opened in New re you sure there is nothing I can do for you?" said Murphy, who has a! ways been grateful to me for printing a scurrilous article about him in the Sun- day supplement just at the time when he Little- Manners, Innittor Dedd. of the Hoopey Tupp Club went by auto- mobiles to Fillem’s tavern, where they celebrated the anniversary of the Deluge. Much amusement was furnished by J. Fatuous Chump and Trowsers Van Gur- zle, who insisted on running their own cars on the way home. That was !ast Sat- urday night—or, rather, Sunday morning —and nothing of the cars nor of Trow- sers or Fatuous has since been seen, The Van Guzzles have always been sports. Mrs. Kantbee-Satton, Mrs. “Tecan let you have anything Legislature if needed it. you want; give you the he added. I replied. “We don’t islatures just at pres- you say so, “No, And with that I left him and started back to Wall Street. J. Bouxre Batsixcror. A Modern Wonder ARGARET: Isn't it stran Katitartne: What? Maxcanet: That many a woman who has bleacked her hair wants to keep it dark. comicbookseem