Life, 1912-12-12 · page 20 of 48
Life — December 12, 1912 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces satirizing early-20th-century trends: **Top illustration**: A cartoon mocking mysticism and occultism. A "Swami" peddles pseudo-scientific advice about "subliminal selves," "astral bodies," and "tattvic colors"—promising to help men understand women through esoteric knowledge. The satire targets the era's faddish fascination with Eastern spiritualism and occult personality theories, presented as absurd charlatanism. **Middle illustration**: A domestic crisis scene where parents discover their daughter eloping. The caption captures the scandal—a forbidden suitor—reflecting Victorian anxiety about parental authority and courtship norms. **"A Proper Pride"**: A brief story mocking Irish working-class pride. An elderly mother in a poorhouse refuses to do mending work, insisting her son wouldn't allow it—valuing dignity over practical necessity, even in poverty. **"Mother the Goose"**: A humorous poem lamenting educational fads (Montessori, Froebel, Pestalozzi, etc.), suggesting endless trendy pedagogical theories make stories never-ending.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Next the subliminal self will emerge from the lower depths of conscious- frequently the subliminal self le accompanied by the astral body; the; are almost always on good terms with may be seen by the esoteric elect walking arm in arm. Then the various personali- ties emerge, and are known by their tattvic colors. You will notice, for example, that the ladies you know affect different colors at different times. This is only because they are under different personalities. A wom- an will delight in green in the morn- ing, when she positively hates it at night. Ask any woman if this—with regard to colors in general—is not so. The entities mentioned are, how- ever, only a small part of the total There ness; will each other, and Witt Bg LIABLE to equipment of a human. being. is, for example, the Ego, which is en- tirely distinct from the Self, through which only can you enter into the harmonies of the syllable Om. The Ego directs the will, which in turn is swayed by the various personalities. No matter who you are, therefore— whether it be bachelor, bridegroom or henedict—waste no time. Understand all women. Consult the Swami and “nol PERLICE! learn the secrets of the psychic under- tow. Get a correct time-table of the various personalities of the ladies you , and from this time forth walk “WHAT IS IT, JAMES? WHAT’s THE MATTER?” “HuSH! I THINK OUR ELDEST DAUGHTER IS ELOPING WITH THAT YOUNG MAN WE FORBADE THE HOUSE.” COME AN’ ARREST ME QUICK!” only on the plane of absolute bliss. Prices on application. Life's Vibration Parlors. A Proper Pride (Contributed by a mission worker.) IM LAFERTY had _ brought mother to that haven of many of the city’s unfortunates—the city poor- house. Molly Laferty was still an active woman, but she bore no grudge to her children that they had left her to spend her last years in a city insti- tution. After a time the matron, a kindly woman, thinking the time long for Molly, suggested she help with the mending. But Molly scornfully threw up her head and said: “Indeed, and it’s not my son that would be after letting his old mother work.” Mother the Goose! | foe tell you a story about Montes- sori, his And now my story's begun. T'll tell you another about Modern Mother, also about Froebel, Pes- talozzi, Preyer, Herbart, Rousseau, Séguin and Freud, And now my story’s not nearly half done! —Heloise. comicbooks co