Life, 1913-07-10 · page 5 of 44
Life — July 10, 1913 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes traditional husband behavior through two sections: **Main Article:** "The Husband" describes husbands as hardy animals adapted to all climates, noting their ingrained habits of billing/cooing during courtship, then reading one-syllable newspaper words to their wives. The satire mocks how American husbands divide into two classes: those married to their wives, and widowers—implying wives find married life unbearable. **The Circular Illustration:** Shows a well-dressed couple in domestic interaction, likely depicting the "courtship phase" behavior the text describes. **Caption:** "Every Monday somebody hangs things out here for me to play with"—depicting laundry, sarcastically suggesting husbands view household tasks as trivial play rather than serious domestic responsibility. The satire targets early 20th-century gender dynamics and male domestic indifference.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ubserip- er must gent oF 16 The Husband EE the husband. Once upon a time he passed his gayer hours in billing and cooing. Now, however, he passes them in bill- ing. Note the crafty smile upon his ingenuous countenance. Only by long and continuous practice can such a emile be produced. Has the husband had a long and continuous practice? He has. The husband is a hardy animal com- mon to all zones. He usually, how- ever, begins life in the torrid zone; from thence he goes to the temperate zone, and he usually winds up in the frigid zone. Later on, if his wife dies, he goes back to the torrid zone. Sometimes he goes back there anyway. The husband works hard for a liv- ing. Sometimes the American hus- band supports his wife. When this happens, however, it is usually re- garded as an amiable. weakness. No husband is withov: honor, save in his own family circle. Here he is used to carve and to keep away bur- glars. He also trims Christmas ‘rees, interviews the plumber, and occasion- ally hires the wrong cock. Husbands have been common to all ages. In ancient Rome they did pretty much as they pleased, and were in the habit of ordering the rest of the family about with impunity. That is one of the ways in which Rome differs very materially from modern America. “Extra!” Miniature Life Number Two just out. A copy sent free to any address on receipt of a perfectly good two-cent stamp to cover mailing. The Miniature Life is a small edition of the larger L: 44% x5, full of Jokes and Pictures.” Printed tn colors, Address LIFE 17 WEST 3st STREET NEW YORK Announcement We beg to state that the name of the Racquet and Tennis Club, of New York, in connection with our Gordon Gin advert'sement, in the issue of the 3rd inst., was used without authority, E. LAMONTAGNE’S SONS, There have been several notable husbands in the history of the world. Among them we may may mention Henry VIII. and Nat Goodwin. The habits of the husband are very simple. In the morning he reads the words of one syllable in his new: paper. Then he kisses his wife fare- well for the day with the firm resolve to make cnough money to buy her at least part of a hat. At night he drags himself home, weary and worn and so tired that‘he falis asleep on the sofa—from whence his wife drags him to go to a social function, which usu- ally lasts until one A. M. On Saturday night, however, the husband is not so tired, although he has worked harder than ever during the day. His eye is very bright, for shat is the evening that he playeth poker at the club, In America husbands are—ronghly speaking—divided into two classes, namely: Those who are bullied by their wives; and widowers. > What is Wit? Let any man show me that which is an acknowledged proof of wit, and I believe I could analyze the pleas: ex: perienced from it into surprise, partly occasioned by the unexpected relation established, partly by the display of talent in discovering it; and, putting this position synthetically, I would say, whenever there is a superior act of in- tellige: in discovering a relation be- tween ideas, which relation excites sur- prise, and no other high emotion, the mind will have the feeling of wit. —Sydney Smith. Che utmost in Mildness. Te “Climost m Cperettes™ Cork Tips or Plain Pup: EVERY MONDAY SOMEBODY HANGS. THINGS OUT HERE FOR ME TO PLAY WITH. HUDSON RIVER BY DAYLIGHT 150 miles of the most charming in- land_ water scenery in the world. Great New Day Line Steamer “ ° «I? Washington Irving added to fleet this season. All through rail tickets between New York and Albany accepted. Music. Restaurant. All service daily except Sunday. Hudson River Day Line Desbrosses St. Pier NewYork comicbooks.com