Life — January 3, 1918 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The page contains two distinct pieces: **Top image ("The Willowbys' Ward"):** A domestic scene showing well-dressed women and men gathered around what appears to be a birthday celebration. The caption indicates the girls are giving "the Professor a kiss for his birthday"—a lighthearted social comedy about etiquette and propriety in domestic settings. **"The Flaming Sword":** A poem by McClandsburgh Wilson with accompanying illustration of soldiers in combat. The verse uses medieval/religious imagery ("sword of flame," "celestial gate") as metaphor for military conflict, likely referencing World War I. **Bottom joke:** A manufacturer-and-partner exchange about raising prices versus reducing weight—a business satire presumably about wartime profiteering or product quality compromise. The page mixes domestic humor with war-related content typical of WWI-era Life magazine.