Life, 1913-09-18 · page 36 of 44
Life — September 18, 1913 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This dialogue satirizes Wall Street's anxiety during what appears to be a post-boom economic downturn. "Life" personifies Wall Street as distressed because stock prices have crashed—theater seat values dropped from $90,000 to $40,000. Wall Street complains that the public has lost "the habit of dancing attendance upon me—of treating me with the respect I deserve." The satire's point: financial markets once commanded public attention and deference, but that has evaporated. Life counters that statistics are "treacherous," suggesting Wall Street's pessimism may be exaggerated. The broader joke mocks Wall Street's narcissism and dependency on public worship. Market crashes reveal not economic collapse but wounded pride—nobody cares anymore. This reflects early 20th-century skepticism toward financial elites and their self-importance, suggesting markets are indifferent to news, events, and sentiment alike. The remainder of the page contains period advertisements unrelated to the satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
On Life's Wire ELLO, Lire?” “At your service. “Wall Street speaking.” “Hello, Wall Street. How ‘is the financial center of the country to- day?” “ Prithee, Lire, don’t joke with me. I'm on the verge of hysterics. “Verge of hysterics!’ Come! Come!” “True, Lire. I’m all undone.” “Perish the thought, Wall Strect! You're all right. Back to the ticker.” “No, Lire. According to cold, hard figures, I'm more than half undone ‘Al year or two ago my seats were sell- ing at over ninety thousand dollars, and now they are selling at around forty thousand. Doesn't that prove that I'm already more than half wiped out?” “Not necessarily, Wall Street. Fig- ures and statistics are always treach- Beautiful Color Combinations Men who seek dis- tinctioninneckwear —who appreciate the refined effect of correct color har- mony, make their cravat selections from SILK CRAVATS This fall a specialty in crochets will be a va- niety of 24-inch-wide patterns to wear with a wing collar. Knit ties in crochets, also accordions, are offered in a wide variety of colors and designs. CHENEY BROTHERS Silk Manufacturers 4th Ave, and 18th St. New York & Fite any Bath Tub. Put it up Yourself in two minutes. Needs No Curtain. Don't Have to Wet Your Hair. SENT ON TEN DAYS’ FREE TRIAL No Money in Advance. Just to show you how much en- t in get oul shether you take a hot bath or a cold bath—we want to LEND ou free fortendaye-a KENNEY Four-Stream Needle Shower. to attach it to your bath teb—that ed have to oay a pear you ee pe etc a ae cast you yes heepit—vo car us moch a8 the cheapest old-style shower you can eet. No Unsanitary Curtain orks braed new The KENNEY SHOWER works on = ‘1 . w tawa: yard go [alae Cente ofthe tabinated ef easing lf to the side. splashes oct of the tub. Doesn't av cubes the walavce the oor, We allia tht coes firing ences geod eteres Tht hat keeps the water from scattering and splashing. That crous. The price of your seats may have sagged a bit, but buck up. Who knows but they may go back to ninety and on to par.” “No, Lire. It can’t be. The people are out of the habit.” “What habit?” “The habit of dancing attendance upon me—of treating me with the re- spect I deserve “Ts that it?” “Tt must be. Nothing else seems to fit the situation. Of course, the finan- cial writers still ring the daily changes on their well-known vernacular, but these, while once plausible, are no longer satisfying.” That's interesting.” , and just as distressing as it is interesting. The market doesn’t really seem to care for anything any more. Nothing affects it, neither good news nor bad news. Floods and cy- clones may come, great men may arise aud pass away, the Supreme Court may hand down favorable decisions or unfavorable, elections may go Demo- cratic or Republican; it is all about the Only $6 If You Keep It. is what eliminates all need for a curtain or hood. No Shock To The Head ‘When yoo stand erect in using a KENNEY SHOW- TR, wet a drep of water teaches your bead. All shoots direct aguinst the body, from the shealders cows, Dea't have to drench year hair. Bet if you want to douse your bead, simply bead over a trifle. All Metal. Easy To Put UP abrir bandeome fixture. Hoary nickel finish ever Fass. . uber weeded. Never inter- Don't Send Any Money Jest order oa your letterhead or enclose business sald oe veberunte aad 9 get the shower complete and prepaid for ten dayy Mf vee wast to keep it, simply sead $6 in fal pey- ment; if not, retare it. sels he tal so. Doo't pat it off. Kae the Nicer foe ule t ht we S. W. Reddan Specialty Co. 25 West Broadway, New York ‘Rexporsible Agents given exclasive territery) same—the market just mopes about and quivers occasionally. “Tt isn’t so bad as all that?” “It's worse than you think, Lier. The public takes no interest whatso- ever. We are even forced to keep up appearances of activity by shuffling stocks about among ourselves; but, of course, there’s no sustenance in that.” “No, of course not.” “But the country will wake up to the truth one of these days, Lire.” “What truth?” “I mean that this country cannot possibly progress and be prosperous unless there is a lively buying and sell- ing of stocks and bonds at all times.” “Do you really think that, Wall Street?” “Certain of it.” “Quite sure you're not prejudiced?” “Not a bit. Study up the matter, Lire, and see if I’m not right.” “It is certainly worth looking into.” “Call me up, Lire, if you find out enything definite.” “We shall, Wall Street. So long.” “ Good-bye, Lire.” comicbooks.com