Life, 1912-02-08 · page 7 of 44
Life — February 8, 1912 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine features a poem by Carolyn Wells accompanying an illustration. The poem describes a young woman at an "Auction Bridge" card game (a popular early 20th-century parlor game). While playing cards with elderly aunts and a grandmother, her mind wanders to thoughts of a romantic "Prince" in distant, unmapped lands. The satire contrasts the mundane social obligation of card-playing with society aunts against the narrator's secret romantic fantasies. The repeated refrain "Two Hearts" suggests divided loyalty—outwardly conforming to proper social conventions while inwardly yearning for love and adventure. The illustration shows women gathered around a card table, capturing this tension between surface propriety and hidden desire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ballade of the “Two Heart Bid” BY CAROLYN WELLS T Auction Bridge, night after night, With dear old Grandmamma I play; With Auntie Sue, whose hair is white, And Auntie Jane, whose hair is gray. “ One Spade,” “ One Club,” “ Without! ” they say; Ah, merriest of mimic marts! But all my thoughts are far away— And to myself I say, “ Two Hearts.” My dreams are very fair and bright; For I am young—the world’s at May! I cannot curb the rapturous flight Of secret fancies, glad and gay; To “ Auction” little heed I pay. When Grandmamma the bidding starts, Aloud, I gaily join the fray— But to myself I say, “ Two Hearts.” I gaze into the fire’s soft light, (Blessing a “‘ Dummy’s” dear delay!) “But all my thoughts are far away” I feel that all the world is right— (Remembering words of yesterday ;) L’Envoi The vision laughing flames portray, My Prince! With thine, my heart’s astray A hint of his dear face imparts. In lands that have no maps nor charts. Auction conventions I obey— I keep the score for “ We” and “ They "— But to myself I say, “ Two Hearts.” But to myself I say, “ Two Hearts.”