Life, 1913-08-28 · page 7 of 40
Life — August 28, 1913 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes early 20th-century courtship and marriage dilemmas through three comic scenarios. "The Elopement" depicts a dramatic romantic escape via airplane. "An Easy Solution" presents a boy choosing between living with his father or mother—the joke being that he pragmatically suggests living with both to avoid choosing. "Fitted for the Job" mocks the expectations placed on wives as ambassadors' spouses, suggesting that domestic skills (housework and darning socks) qualify women for diplomatic roles—satirizing the limited professional recognition of women's contributions. The central illustration labeled "Rivals" shows a woman with two suitors competing for her attention, with a dog also vying for notice—reducing romantic rivalry to absurdity. The humor targets traditional gender roles and marriage conventions of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Elopement D on her lover’s arm she leant, About her waist she felt it fold, As through the hangar door they went, Whispering the story, sweet and old; Blushing she clung; trembling she wept, Along the ledge through Lane. "Mid twilight shadows, soft, they crept Into the throbbing acroplane. Lovers’ And o’er them many a flowing range Of vapor buoyed their dizzy bark, And rapt through many a rosy change The evening drifted into dark. The moon's white glory by their side. Driven by Summer winds they flew Till midnight sang and darkness died And far they saw the dawning bluc. And o'er them many a sliding star And many a radiant breeze was born, And streamed through many a golden bar Till dawning melted into morn. Over the hills and far away Beyond the utmost purple rim, With multi-cylinders a-sway, Across the sky she flew with him! Kate Masterson Beyond the Pale MOT AEY! they? “Well, 1 Why, they are the kind of people who, when they economize, actually save money!” E impossible people, aren't should say they were! UMMER porter’s, quarters—the Pullman An Easy Solution HE JUDGE: Now, my son, you must make your choice—will you live with your father or your mother? Tne Boy: Please, sir, if you can only keep them apart, I should like to live with both. Fitted for the Job HE ought to make a splendid wife of an American Ambassador abroad.” “Ts she distinguished?” “Dear me, no; but she can do her own housework and darn socks beauti- fully.” RIVALS comicbooks.com