Life, 1912-08-22 · page 24 of 44
Life — August 22, 1912 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes American attitudes toward wealth and international marriage around 1642 (likely a typo for 1942 or earlier). A young American man (Carstairs) visits wealthy industrialist Bristler to propose marriage to his daughter. The satire inverts typical anxieties: Carstairs must reassure Bristler he's a respectable American citizen, while Bristler panics that his daughter—described as "selfish, characterless and silly"—will actually marry an American rather than a foreign nobleman. The joke culminates when Carstairs reveals his real concern: marrying an American millionaire's daughter would ruin his reputation among his "respectable" European friends. The satire targets American wealth-worship and snobbery—the wealthy American's desperation to marry his useless daughter to foreign nobility, and the foreigner's assumption that association with American money would disgrace him socially. The cartoon mocks both European class pretension and American nouveau-riche insecurity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Xs The Sacrifice (The scene is laid in the office of Henry Bristler, the American multi- tiillionaire. This gentleman is sitting quietly at his desk, smoking his cus- tomary five dollar cigar. The door opens, and there enters a young man cf good appearance.) HE YOUNG MAN: Good morn- ing, Mr. Bristler, You don't know me, of course. My I haven't come to sell you name is Carstairs. nything. My mental. It's about your daughter. Bristirr: My daughter! Carstairs: You have a visit is purely. senti- Yes, sir daughter, an only daughter. Bristter: Well, sir, what's that to you? Carstairs: Tam that presently, First, however, let me pre- sent my credentials. Here is a notice of my birth; it is merely to show that coming to moan American citizen. Bristter (looking over the papers): So I see. You were born in Massa- chusetts. look at him with interest.) doubt (Begins t some There's no about this, is there? Carstairs: None whatever. Look at me. Don't I look and act like one Bristier (becoming agitated): You certainly do. Caxstais: Would you like to know shout my habits? I can produce ref- erences showing that I am sober and industrious, and that my family— Eristtrr: Not necessary, I assure you. That you are an American, a 1 Ame n, is all T want to know spoke of sentiment The fact is, I your Carstairs: Yes, sir. am willing to marry daugh- ter, Bristurr (burying his face in his hands with a sudden access of emotion, and then starting up): Impossible! I never heard of such a case! Do you realize, sir, that I am a multimillion- aire, and that the daughters of every American multimillionaire marry a foreigner. It can’t be true. Carstairs (calmly): 1 repeat it. 1 am willing to marry your daughter. Brister: Have you thought of how unhappy you will be? Carstairs: Yes, sir. Bristter: Consider! ter of honor with me. I cannot let you take this step without fair warning. My daughter knows noth- This is a mat- ing! Carstairs: Tam aware of that, sir. T have talked with her. Bristter: She has brought up to contribute a single thing to the sum total of humanity, She is selfish, characterless and silly Carstairs (iuimoved): Tam ready. Bristter (almost overcome): My God! This is too much happiness. 1 can scarcely believe it (rings bell vic lently. Attendant rushes in). Loe! all the outside doors. Put guards everywhere. See that this young man does not Telephone for m daughter and a clergyman or a justic of the peace at once. He may change his mind. ATTENDANT (used to strange de- mands, quietly) : Done, sir. Carstairs (smiling): Don’t be un- easy. I have made my resolve. The die is cast. (At this and there never been escape. moment the door opens upon the scene a ¢ last extreme enters young girl dressed in ¢ of fashion. She carries in one arm a dog and in the other hand a list of something on paper, which she is She is slightly made up and walks like a gris. bear. Miss Bristurr: Papa! Here is a list of foreign noblemen. I suppose scanning. Don’t ask me (She continues almost any one will do. to decide about them. to read.) Carstairs (faking Bristler by the arm, as he leans over and whispers): Excuse me, sir! I forgot to mention a slight detail; one, however, which is of great importance to me. I am not grasping, but after we are married, would you mind my living abroad— quietly, you understand. You see, if it was known among my friends—all of whom are eminently respectable— that I had married the daughter of an American millionaire, why, | would be 2n outcast. Bristter: Your idea is—— Carstairs: Perfectly simple. 1 long wanted to live alone abroad; thought if you would let me marry your daughter and settle enough upon me so that my dream could come true, why, it might be a mutual thing Bristtrr: You would be willing to be my daughter's husband long enough so that it would be known? This, I am quite sure, her mother would insist upon. You see, sir, my daughter's happiness in’ marrying you depends upon the prominence she attains as one of the few American millionaire’s daughters who has ever married an American. Carstairs: I will submit. Baistier: Spoken like a man. Viola! Viota (his daughter, looking up from her list): 1 got you Steve— Oh, I mean papa! Give me a cigar- ete. Bustier: Throw away your list. Viota: What do you mean? Bristter: You will not have to marry a foreign nobleman. — This young man, who is an American cit- izen, born in this country, has offered to marry you Viota (gazing at Carstairs almost blindly, as she sees him for the first time): Impossible! (Enter two Epis- copal bishops, a justice of the peace, four policemen and a Hungarian or- chestra.) Bristter: Daughter! Have I ever deceived you? It is quite true. He is going to marry Viotx (throwing herself into Carstair’s arms): My God! headlong What T. L. M. joy! (Curtain.) comicbookeee