Life, 1915-01-14 · page 15 of 44
Life — January 14, 1915 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story satirizes the absurd power dynamics of wealthy wives in early 20th-century America. Mrs. Terwillinger Smyth, a society woman, holds up an entire ecosystem of people—her magnate husband, thirty clerks, a prominent jeweler, chauffeur, cook, servants, tradesmen, an architect, and an upholsterer—while she gets dressed in her boudoir. The satire mocks how a woman's mere act of dressing creates cascading delays affecting important business and daily operations. The illustration labeled "Praising Him to the Skyes" (likely a religious reference) shows what appears to be a figurine or shrine, emphasizing the quasi-religious devotion society grants wealthy women's leisure time. The humor targets both the vanity of privileged women and the social system that enables them—everyone must wait because she cannot be interrupted. It's social commentary on gender roles, class hierarchy, and wasted time in the leisure class.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Now you von’r” An Interruption RS, TERWILLINGER SMYTH was being buttoned up the back. Mr, Smyth, who was a magnate, was waiting to see her outside her boudoir. Thirty clerks were waiting for him. The most prominent jeweler on the avenue called his chief clerk and said: “Ring up Mrs. Terwillinger Smyth and say that I shall be glad to try on her necklace for her at any time this afternoon—that it is all ready.” The clerk had returned with the message that Mrs. Smyth was engaged and would he call her again? He was obliged to wait before taking up other important matters. Mrs. Smyth's chauffeur was also waiting in the sixty- horse-power auto in front for his mistress. The car was waiting, purring to itself. A small crowd was waiting. The cook downstairs was waiting, because he would not permit all the other servants to sit down to their tables until their circle was complete, and Mrs. Smyth's maid could not be interrupted. In the waiting-room downstairs an upholsterer and an * architect were also waiting. And then the door opened and Mrs. Terwillinger Smyth emerged. Her husband talked, the telephone was answered, the maid descended, the tradesmen were dismissed, the auto started up, and the world went round once more. PRAISING HIM TO THE SKYES