Life, 1912-02-01 · page 14 of 48
Life — February 1, 1912 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon: "St. Valentine's Morning at Purkeydale Villa"** This anthropomorphic cartoon depicts cats in human clothing and situations. The caption and accompanying text reference King George viewing a new costume designed for President Taft by the "Parisian Reform League." The satire mocks diplomatic costume design and international fashion politics, suggesting absurdity in formal state dress codes. The cats appear to represent various national figures engaged in morning routines, likely satirizing European diplomatic pretensions. **Right Column Content:** The remaining text discusses legal/political matters ("Technicalities"), a philanthropic donation from Mrs. Russell Sage to the Women's League for Animals, and commentary on capitalism. The overall page blends whimsical animal illustration with contemporary political and social commentary typical of early 20th-century satirical magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ST, VALENTINE’S MORNING AT PURRYDALE VILLA “King George has just seen a new costume designed for President Taft by your Fashion Reform League, and urges me very strongly to have a costume made appropriate for Court occasions, Says that the habit of American Ambassadors appearing in cowboy hat and high boots has never . been approved of by Queen Mary. Please get me up something stunning, with due regard for my legs, which are not as large as they ought to be. Ex- pense no object. I will spend as high as eighteen dollars to please Mary and George. “Wuurretaw.” We expect to fit up Mr. Reid in a costume that will throw the British Court into spasms of envy. In order to do this, we have taken as models the historic figures of Walter Raleigh, Henry the Eighth, Lucullus, Samuel Pepys, James Boswell and W. R. Hearst. By blending the characteris- tics of these gentlemen, and by read- ing carefully the editorial pages of the Tribune for the last thirty years, we expect to produce a costume for Mr. Reid that will indicate at once his handsome figure, his intellect and his record, The German Ambasgador is giving us a great deal of trouble. We are afraid that we shall have to put a false stomach on him in order to give him dignity at the German Court, this be- ing the insignia of rank in Berlin— also in philosophical circles, With regard to France, Brazil, Italy, Japan, Russia and Turkey, we shall design costumes especially calculated to place ourselves as a nation on a per- manent peace footing with each one of these countries. In the meantime, all plenipote: ries, ambassadors, politicians, lobbyists, after-dinner speakers, and, in fact, everyone of any official importance in this country, should communicate with us at once. Not to have your costume made by the Fashion Reform League will be to argue yourself into hopeless obscurity. Life's Fashion Reform League. THE WATCHED Pot Technicalities E faced the Court upon a charge, And everybody knew, Although amounts involved were large, And he was well-to-do, That he had worked a crooked deal Which, analyzed, meant just plain steal. The lawyers argued everything Except the facts at hand, And after days of bickering, The Court gave its command, Which was that he should go forth free Upon a technicality! George B. Staff. Friends in Need MES. RUSSELL SAGE has, it ap- pears, given ten thousand dollars to the New York Women’s League for Animals. A pleasing contrast, this, to the many thousands Mr. John D. Rockefeller has given to a very dif- ferent cause—the irresponsible and un- hampered torture of our helpless friends. We are hoping that other good wishers may follow Mrs. Sage’s example, not only in their active sym- pathy for animals, but in their abil- ity to resist the blandishments of those gleesome workers in the Halls of Agony. AtASKA finds some mischief still for capitalist hands to do.