Life, 1912-01-04 · page 46 of 108
Life — January 4, 1912 — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This two-part satirical page mocks the magazine publishing world and human fate itself. **Main cartoon:** A large bear (representing a geologist or academic figure) visits a small man at a desk, offering his work. The satire parodies the standard "rejection slip"—the form letter publishers sent to unwanted submissions. The humor lies in depicting this humiliating professional rejection in absurdly formal, bureaucratic language. **The story below** extends this mockery to the afterlife: a magazine editor dies and faces Saint Peter, only to receive—of all things—a rejection slip from Heaven itself. The slip uses the exact passive-aggressive language real editors employed ("does not necessarily imply lack of merit"), suggesting that rejection follows us even beyond death. **The final quip** about divorce and alimony adds contemporary social commentary, implying legal/financial misfortunes are as inevitable as rejected manuscripts. The satire targets both the publishing industry's impersonal cruelty and life's general unfairness.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Geologist: 1'Lt. we With You 1N A MOMENT, SIK. TAKE OFF YOUR COAT AND SIT DOWN The Apotheosis of the Rejection Slip HE editor of a popular magazine died and his soul passed on. In due course he’ stood before the Gate and presented his card to the attendant. He waited a very long time, and was tormented with suspense and fear and doubt. At last the gray-suited servant returned and handed him back his card, together with a sheet of coated paper— about six by four—upon which was engraved the follow- ing: “Saint Peter has carefully considered your offering, but regrets that the candidate is not adapted to the special needs of this institution. Rejection does not necessarily imply lack of merit, nor that the offering might not be available for another place. “In view of the large number of offerings considered, Saint Peter asks to be excused from any criticism of the candidate's moral attributes.” Upon reading which, the editor heaved a sigh of bitter disappointment and went on to the “ other place.” "THERE'S many a slip ’twixt the divorce and the ali- mony.