Life, 1917-03-29 · page 37 of 42
Life — March 29, 1917 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story satirizes the early 20th-century American gentleman's perpetual debt problem. Mr. Dobson, an affluent but constantly bill-harassed man, proposes a radical experiment: spending one day paying cash for everything instead of buying on credit (the standard practice). The joke lies in the absurdity of treating *cash payment* as a "brand-new idea" worthy of surprise. The story reveals that Dobson doesn't even know his actual expenses—credit has so divorced him from the cost of living that paying cash for a single day nearly bankrupts him and requires his wife's tearful forgiveness. The satire targets the American upper-middle class's casual reliance on credit and their disconnection from actual monetary value. By treating basic fiscal responsibility as shocking and experimental, *Life* mocks the era's consumption-driven culture where debt was normalized among the respectable classes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mr. Dobson Pays Cash NE bright morning Mr. Dobson, O an American gentleman in excel- lent circumstances, and yet (quite sin- + to relate of any American gen- ant) constantly harried by his. hills, conceived of a brilliant idea, Thereupon he said to Mrs. Dobson: “My dear, let us pay cash for one absurd!” y scem so, but you must ad- is a brand-new idea, and worth while for you, as a aan, to try.” s the only possible way in astute Mr. Dobson could suaded his wife to try his cy both agreed, and he gave dred dollars in bright, new ing the same amount himself, he easily possible for us to out of this by recording nts of that day. But they would | too painful for modern read- insist. upon being amused. is it to observe that at night sons met cach other face to SURE Your Stationery is Your Business Photograph.Are You Proud of it? CONSTRUCTION “I have been grossly insulted by ar people,” said Mrs. Dobson, who boked very much the worse for wear. saleswoman in a department nilliner, my shoemaker, and | r maker. I offered them all ow do men size you up when they | it will take years to reinstate hold your business photograph in myself with them ag: hand? Does your firm seem cheap and weak? Ordoes the paper in your letterhead suggest your standing and importance? Let for this watermart in the To write on a spineless, flimsy sheet—or worse yet, on one known to be cheap—gives your trade a Peseniide halon Mi paramadird Al picture of a house indifferent to appearances and ways service. But a well executed letterhead on Con- Ready to struction Bond reflects your business ideals—proves your preference for substantial quality and honest value—insists the importance of what you say. And it costs only one-tenth of a cent more per letter. Write now for latest letterhead suggestions and the names of those printers and lithographers in your locality who carry Construction Bond in stock BOND and produce fine stationery upon it. “L got in wrong with my haber- CONSTRUCTION <£—_> The Spirit wha! LettlL E. WROE & COMPANY, 200 EAST ILLINOIS STREET, CHICAGO “America First” MAKES THE PERFECT COCKTAIL, HIGHBALL OR RICKEY. recipes of famous Bacardi driuks est rea Water Street, New York CHINESE ANTIQUES 284 Post St. SAN FRANCISCO (Correspondence with collectors lavited) dasher and my hatter,” said Dobson, “and then quit for the day. I didn’t have the courage to attempt to buy anything more. Your people, by the way, sent collectors to collect last month’s bills. Also, I calculated this afternoon that if we should pay cash for everything, it would cost me twice my income.” “How much does it cost now?” “T don’t know—that’s the strange part of it. But, my dear, isn’t it worth while to learn something, even by mak- ing such a mistake?” At this point Mrs. Dobson, who had been softly shedding tears, braced up and impulsively put her arms about her erring husband's neck. “Never mind, dear,” she said, “we must face this together. We are prob- ably ruined, but we are both com- paratively young, and we will live it down side by side.” T. L. M. comichoo!