Life, 1917-10-18 · page 8 of 40
Life — October 18, 1917 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a romantic comedy sketch about a young man proposing to his girlfriend before taking her to meet his family. The humor centers on generational differences in courtship and entertainment. The dialogue reveals that the protagonist's parents frequently attend movies for amusement—a modern entertainment habit the younger generation considers somewhat embarrassing and old-fashioned. The girlfriend worries about making a good impression, while the young man must propose before introducing her to his family to secure their approval. The two illustrations show typical early 20th-century domestic scenes: the regimental procession at top depicts soldiers, while the lower cartoon shows a couple in a parlor setting, captioned "Taking One Out of One's Self"—likely referencing courtship rituals and the novelty of cinema as popular entertainment for all social classes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE PET OF THE REGIMENT Anything to Amuse Scene—A modern home. Time — Early evening. As he enters, she is standing at the door waiting for him, all attention. He (anxiously): G-good evening. You expected me? Sue: Certainly. You told me you were coming, didn't you? He: Yes, but I was afraid that— Sue: Dear me, no; all the arrange- ments have been made. He (nervously): Arrangements? For what? Sue (almost timidly): Didn't you say you were coming here to-night to ask me the most important question in the world? He: I certainly did, and I mean it. Sue (calmly): Well, then, we are all ready. He: Wel! Sue: Yes. All of us. H But, dear, why should I ask you—propose to you—before the family? Sue: They will all be quite sympa- thetic and attentive, I am sure. Be- sides, there aren’t so many—only papa and mamma and sister and my brother Bob You know, really for his age he’s very well behaved. Shall I tell them? Hi Wait! One moment. What's the idea? I can’t—I really can’t—but at least explain the reason. Sue: Why, it’s all quite simple. You see, they can’t all stay home and do nothing. We're not used to that. Father and mother go to the movies almost every night; and when they're not doing that, they've gotten into the habit of wanting to be amused. You see, they're both tired when night comes, and to pass an evening doing nothing—oh, they just couldn't! Sis- ter and Bob feel the same. He: But how do they know that— Sue: Oh, they found out you were coming. You see, they are all awfully keen about amusements of any kind. They can scent a new cabaret show any time. And, naturally, when I got the idea that you were coming to-night to propose, they caught it. He: But I can’t propose before the whole family. Sue: But you must! They wouldn't like it if you didn’t, and of course you mustn't get the whole family down on you. He (wildly): But what shall T say? Sue: How can | tell you? Just be natural! Here they come now. (Papa, mamma, sister and Bob alt enter, They greet him cordially.) Para: Don't mind us. He: I—er—you'll have to excuse me. But I fear I must be going. Mamata: Going! (To her daugh- ter) Have you been deceiving us? He: No. She told the truth. But really, I— Para (encouragingly) : Don't mind us. Just go right on. I am quite anx- ious to see how the thing is done now, compared with when I was young. He (suddenly going up to her and putting his arms about her and kissing her furiously): There! Will you marry me? Bonnie: Great! Yes, darling! , Why, this isn’t amusing at all. It’s over too soon. Besides, I thought you'd be coy and nervous and embarrassed. Let's go to the movies. There's time. (They all exeunt.) He: Well, darling, I must go soon. What's your hurry? He: I’ve promised to propose to a couple of other girls before midnight. T.L. M. TAKING ONE OUT OF ONE'S SELF comicbook uy