Life, 1915-01-07 · page 13 of 44
Life — January 7, 1915 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical cartoon and social commentary typical of Life magazine's humor. The main illustration depicts an elaborate domestic scene with ornate, decorative elements—likely mocking the pretensions of wealthy households. The accompanying text is a letter from "Hashimura Togo" complaining about household management expectations. The character appears to be a servant or immigrant worker frustrated by demands to perform numerous cleaning tasks while maintaining household appearance. The satire targets both the unrealistic expectations of wealthy employers and the ostentatious decoration of their homes. The phrase "Never have I seen such decorated scrubbess!" (likely "scrubbs") suggests mockery of ornate household furnishings that create excessive cleaning burdens. Additional brief items address German espionage and artesian wells—typical magazine miscellany of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Never have I seen such decorated scrubess!” “Too dam idle,” he sware cursorily. “If luxury would commence to hussle and quit thinking about Zeppelin bal- loons and start inflating something of their own, then perhapsly I could quit my honest life and commence being happy again.” Slight weeps by him, While thusly we talk it we arrive closeup to one enlarged home full of windows and pride. Befront of its noble porch it contained sign, FOR SALE or RENT BOARDERS TAKEN IN. Washing front step with broom-mop were lady in dimond necklace with Prussian Sables surrounding her shoulder. Never yet or formerly have I seen such decorated scrubess. “My wife!” report Hon. Million- aire affectionly. Going forthly from backdoor were two (2) children retreating off with dinnerpail. “My children!” he say so domes- ticly. “They are employed in factory for slight child labor.” “Large family are great hellup in time of needs,” I obligate. “ What 13 job of work you expect me to do ite “ Make beds, sweepout & wash win- dow in all bedrooms—there are 260 in my house. After this is did, report to me and I shall put you to work at something useful, Are you used to heavy lifting?” “What style of lift you mean?” I require. “Lifting pianos, perhapsly, or lifting carpets?” “Carpets and pianos have already been raised by Sheriff,” he dictate. “So they will be too light to lift in this house. What I needs most to day is one strong Japanese servant who can lift the mortgage.” When he said thusly I make war-cry and escape away before he dishcover the comparative richness of the 1,50$ which my pocketbook had in. Such conversation make me feel quite de- composed. Hoping you are the same Yours truly Hasuimura Toco, (Per Wallace Irwin.) Why Not? The story is told of a German gentleman who, some years ago, bought a residence on the outskirts of Antwerp and had a concrete tennis-court constructed in the ground, and that this court was used as a basis for the German. sicge- guns, all this being an incident in the German system of espionage. There are said to be concrete tennis- courts now in this country built by Germans for future operations. —Floatiny Item, R. J. B. BUMGARTEN, of Pater- son, has just had an artesian well bored. It has been connected with a well-known drug store, so that an inexhaustible supply of soda water will be ready for any army of invasion. Mr. Sauerkrowter Pumpernickel, of Flushing, has erected a dirigible sta- tion in his back yard for the tem- porary use of his childten. Heligoland papers please copy. Residents of Staten Island yesterday witnessed the excavating of ground for a large gasoline tank, capable of holding a million gallons. It will be used by Mr. Weinerworst von Berns- killer to supply his Ford car until needed by the German staff.