Life, 1916-05-11 · page 19 of 48
Life — May 11, 1916 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical social commentary typical of Life's humor. **"Uninteresting People"** profiles Mrs. Mortimer De Scaggsby, mocking upper-class society women. The satire lies in listing superficial activities—tennis, skating lessons, limousine rides, diet regimens—presented as though remarkable. References to exclusive venues (Colony Club, Mills Hotel, Peacock Alley) and her encounters with minor celebrities emphasize the tedium of wealthy idle life. The humor targets the emptiness of high-society existence. **"That Paris Dinner Engagement"** cartoon shows a military figure postponing dinner, satirizing wartime disruptions to social plans—a jab at society's triviality during WWI. **"Cleaning Up Will Be Pleasant"** and "The Little Girl" dialogue are brief humor pieces about post-war reconstruction and a child's anxiety about laughing on cue. The final exchange about the cook being German reflects WWI-era suspicion of German nationals, a timely social anxiety of the period. Overall, the page mocks upper-class superficiality and wartime social anxieties through gentle satire.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
895 Uninteresting People Mrs. Mortimer Mortimor De Scaggsby Mortimor HIS lady has long lived in town, She was, so we are informed, born there. Early in life she attended a private school, or establishment where young ladies are fitted for the onerous duties of Afterwards she traveled in Europe. Also in California. At one time she played tennis. She dances twice a month, and this season has alrea en two skating lessons a week. She rides ina limousine twohours. a day for hompson's system of diet for super= fluous flesh is ideal, In the morning she bathes, has her coffee in bed, and reads the first page of the Times casu- ally. She is also seen occasionally in Peacock Alley. through Kansas Cit She also stayed away from Palm Beach society. ercise, and says that Vance Once she passed on her way west. last winter, preferring some other place. She talks to others pleasantly, and is fond of almost anything to eat; par- ticularly alligator pear salad and snails. She belongs to the Colony Club, and visited the Mills Hotel; and she once met Maud Ballington Booth. THAT PARIS DINNER ENGAGEMENT “acu! Cleaning Up Will Be Pleasant TH NGS is just cheerful thoughts. It's more fun to make a place habit- able than it is to live in it after it is are getting so grave that it a natural duty to all improved. We should remember that, while so much and such interest- ing parts of the earth are being mussed up, especially if we are going to take ahand in the mussing. The survivors, It'S THE SECOND TIME I'VE HAD TO POSTPONE THAT DIN} if there are some, will have a real good time rearranging and repairing every- thing after the war is over. “COME aow, T want to tell you the funniest story you ever heard” “T don't want to hear it.” “Don't! Why not?” “Well, it makes me nervous to think that I sha’n’t be able to laugh as hard as you expect me to.” The Little Girl: HEAD OFF THAT? The Little Boy SURE—BUT—COOK 1S GERMAN, WHO KNOCKED THE s-s-su! i'M NOT comicbooks.com