Life, 1915-06-17 · page 24 of 52
Life — June 17, 1915 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This *Life* magazine page contains two satirical pieces from the early 1900s mocking social conventions of the era. **"The Inspiration of Genius"** (left) ridicules both absent wives and incompetent detectives. The joke: a husband hires a detective to find his wife, who frequents bargain sales, bridge clubs, suffragist meetings, churches, and drives automobiles—essentially depicting the modern woman's busy social life as impossible to track. The detective's "breakthrough" is absurd, suggesting even professional investigators are helpless before female independence. **"What You Never Hear Them Say"** (right) lists sardonic observations—things supposedly never said in polite society. The war reference suggests WWI-era context. The humor derives from social pretense: bankers don't admit they'll lend money freely; golfers don't admit poor scores; people don't honestly criticize others' cars or mothers. Both pieces mock early-20th-century gender dynamics, consumer culture, and social hypocrisy through exaggeration and irony.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Inspiration of Genius “I SUPPOSE you realize the fact,” said the detective, “that finding any man’s wife in these days is not the jest thing in the world.” “Tf I hadn't realized replied Mosler, “I would not have sent for you. The matter is really very important; I wanted her to sign a paper, and | should like to locate her if possible. Money is no object.” The detective considered, “Of course,” he said, “we must approach this matter from a strictly scientific stand- point, and perhaps the best thing to do is to use the process of elimina- tion. This being Mon- day, she might be at a bargain sale.” “I” have that fact, considered replied Mos- ler, “and have tele- phoned to all of the bargain counters in town, but no woman answering to her description has been seen there.” “Has she accounts at these stores?” said the detective. “Up to the last time I saw her,” said Mosler, “which was about six months ago, she had an account in every dry goods store in the United States. How much she has added to this since, I don't know.” “Are there any bridge clubs meeting to-day?” suggested the detective, “Tam not reliably enough in- formed upon this question, But I believe that a bridge club meets somewhere every hour of the day and night.” “That complicates the situation,” said the detective. “Does she happen to be a suffragist?” he is not only ist, hut a suffragette.” Does she belong to any church?” All there are. “Does she use an automobile?” “All T have.” “When did you see her last?” “T think it was in July, or it may possibly have been September.” “How did you recognize her?” “She was dragging home a cook. She had a peculiar way of doing it, which would attract attention from a long distance.” THE MANLY ART OF SELF-DEFENSE “Then you haven't been able to locate her since?” “Not to.my knowledge.” While the detective had been putting Mosler through this cross-examination, he had been rapidly making notes. Suddenly he sprang to his feet, tore up all the papers that he had writ- ten, and, with a look of joy, exclaimed: “I have it!” and darted out of the office. Mosler went on with his work. He had great confidence in that detective. Besides, he was a very busy man and had many matters of importance on his mind. While the paper was of the utmost importance, he had been taking a New Thought treatment and per- mitted nothing to disturb him very much. One hour later the tele- phone bell rang. Mosler took down the receiver. It was the detective’s voice, vibrating with joy, that came to him over the tele- phone. “Your wife has been lo- cated. I have her now in my possession. She is in the last place on earth that anybody else but myself would have dreamed of looking for her.” Mosler gasped. “ Where are you telephoning from?” he said. “Your reply. What You Never Hear Them Say 21674 “COME now, old fellow, sit right down and tell me just what you think about this war.” home,” was the “T have an idea that in about ten years from now you'll look even worse than your mother.” “Your account is overdrawn, sir, but don’t let that make the slightest difference. As a bank we are here to let you ha Il the money you want at any time.” “Above all things, don’t buy a motor car like mine— unless you want to get stuck.” y score isn’t so good. But I never played a better game of golf in my life.” comicbooks.com