Life, 1915-02-11 · page 18 of 44
Life — February 11, 1915 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top illustration satirizes opera-goers at a production of "La Tosca," mocking fashionable audiences who dress elaborately to match the opera's aesthetic rather than for genuine appreciation. The caption jokes that "gowns must accord with the music"—critiquing shallow social performance and conspicuous consumption among the elite. Below are three humorous prose pieces: "Snow" humorously describes winter's contradictions, particularly how tired businessmen use snow as an excuse to avoid skating. "Singular Disappearance" is a mock wanted poster for William Shakespeare, ironically listing his documented weaknesses (poor spelling, uneducated, cross-dressing boys) to suggest the historical Shakespeare couldn't have written his plays—a contemporary echo of authorship-doubt theories. The final section presents witty one-liners on gender relations and a satirical "wanted" ad for ordinary citizens' happiness, noting that kings, politicians, and editors needn't apply—mocking power structures and hypocrisy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A “LA TOSCA” AUDIENCE (To BE EN REGLE THIS SEASON COWNS MUST ACCORD WITH THE MUSIC) Snow NOW comes in crystals, flakes and balls. It varies if shade from white to black, according to its distance from Pittsburgh and Chicago. It is used on hills, branches of fir trees, roofs and in poetry; also under sleighs and sleds, and to ring bells. It sometimes performs a valuable service to the tired business man, who, having been pre- viously informed by his family, friends and a few enemies that there is nothing like skating to bring the bloom of health to the cheek, ariseth reluctantly on the morning of the day set apart for this purpose, only to find that the snow hath fallen the evening before to the depth of three inches, covering the ice and thus aiding him in his secret desire to sit by the fire all day and smoke wicked cigars. Singular Disappearance PARTICULARS wanted of a medium-sized gentleman with a silver tongue and a pointed beard, partly bald, with a dome-shaped head and blue eyes. Was last seen coming out of the Adelphi Theatre, London. Was well known at one time, many people now claim a speaking acquaintance with him, but upon investigation their claims are almost invariably proved to be false. Is not a college man and is uneducated ; particularly poor speller; not used to the best society; has had trouble with his wife; was at one time in the real estate business; could not write on the typewriter, and is thought by many to have employed a man named Bacon to do his work; was fond of scenery, but used it scarce at all; liked to dress up boys in women's clothes to deceive the public; had few morals, and was loved entirely by disreputable people. Traces of him have been discovered in London, Berlin, Copenhagen and even in Boston. Answers to the name of William Shakespeare. . From Another Angle ODD: The only criticism I have to pass on women is that they are never ready to take the initiative. Tow: I wish you would accompany me to my home some evening after I have been out with the boys. 20624 \WANTED- By the common citizen, a chance for happi- ness. Kings, reformers, orthodox ministers, mili- tarists, socialists, ex-Presidents, business trusts, Secretaries of State (unfermented), politicians and exalted editors need not apply.