Life, 1911-09-21 · page 11 of 52
Life — September 21, 1911 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page contains two satirical pieces. "This Number" discusses the number nine, drawing a humorous distinction between children and "the boy of nine," suggesting nine-year-old boys occupy a peculiar developmental stage—neither fully childish nor grown. "An Ideal Man" satirizes contemporary expectations for men. An "aggravated young woman" describes seeking a man who is helpful yet unobtrusive, ambitious yet emotionally available—qualities the text suggests are contradictory or impossible to find. The illustration captioned "Bribery and Corruption" shows people attempting to cross wet paint on steps while women stand nearby, apparently using femininity to influence or distract the workers. The satire appears to mock both casual corruption and gender-based manipulation in everyday situations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
This Number ASMUCH as this number assumes that there are still chil- dren, we regard it as being a delicate compliment to all American parents. As for the children themselves, we have met but few of them who were willing to admit that they arc children. The boy of ten is very likely to refer to the boy of nine as “that kid,” while the boy of nine rarely compro- mises his dignity by associating with the boy of eight. Children are never children to themsel From the standpoint of the grown-up, the real children we mect in these days are few and far between. To be a real child implies unconsciousness of one’s superiority. The trouble with many of the children of to-day is that they have discovered that they are superior; their advantages are much greater than ours were and they know it—and they rub it in The old-fashioned licking has gone out and with it the child. In his place is a vastly superior creature who is affa- under contin Dle on be approached, condescendi if his dignity be tact and capable of any degree of cruclty ruffled. This number then Tt will terested i is not for children, but for grown-ups, terest them in the same way that we always in surveying the superior. An Ideal Man ravated young woman, “is = HAT he needs, ays the some one to he kind of = snubbing that will make him feel mean and little and help less. But I can't imagine who could snub him in a way to penetrate his colossal conceit “T know the very fellow who works in the winter in a theater box of in the s ways crowded.” ¢ him a good subbing “T know a ce and man,” says the listener er is clerk in a summer resort hotel that is al BRIBERY D_ CORRUPTION comicbooks.com