Life, 1918-02-28 · page 28 of 40
Life — February 28, 1918 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical dialogue mocks the hypocrisy of marital "honesty." Mr. Hopeson proposes absolute transparency between spouses—then immediately confesses he plans to get drunk at his club dinner, come home at 3 AM in unknown condition, and may need to be put to bed. Mrs. Hopeson cheerfully accepts this arrangement, offering to supervise his drunken return "personally." The joke is that Hopeson's demand for "perfect frankness" actually means he wants permission to misbehave while claiming moral superiority. His wife's willing compliance suggests she has her own confession coming—implying she too has been concealing things. The cartoon captures early 20th-century gender dynamics: husbands claiming authority through appeals to principle while pursuing self-indulgence, and wives navigating marriage through strategic acquiescence.
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THE PRODIGAL’S RETURN War-Time Economies HITE table should not be discarded when oilcloth from the kitchen it is worn out. It can then, with a little planning, be made over into perfectly good washless collars for the head of the house. Throw all your cigar stumps into a brass bowl provided for the purpose. When there are enough of them, dry out and grind them up. Offer them to your guests who roll their own cigar- ettes as a new form of Turkish tobacco just on the market. ENATOR TWIDDLE: The new senator is a business man. Senator Twappte: Well, mistakes will happen. A Bargain’s a Bargain “IN my. opinion,” said Hopeson, “there ought to be absolute hon- esty between every man and his wife. No concealment whatever; everything open and above-board. It pays in the ong run.” “That's a singular doctrine for you to advance,” said Mrs. Hopeson. “T know it is, but I mean it. Let us, after this, be perfectly frank with each other. No hidden motives, no ulterior purposes. Will you agree to it if I will?" “T wasn't aware that I had been in the habit of —” “Oh, come now, my dear; we are all I'm perfectly willing to admit have often concealed things There! Now shall we be- human. that I from you. gin?” “Why, certainly, if you like.” There was an impressive pause, nec- essary to such an important matter. “Well!” exclaimed Hopeson, at last, My dear, I’m going out to-morrow night. There is to be an annual dinner at the club, Now, under ordinary circumstances, I would have mentioned it in a casual manner, as if it were some stately ceremony. But now I say bluntly I don’t know when I shall be home, and I honestly don’t know what my condition will be. I'm going to let myself loose. It will be one glorious razzle-dazzle.” “Have you considered how you will feel afterwards?” “Certainly. And I have reconciled myself to it in advance. Be prepared for anything.” “Do you expect me to put you to bed?” “T don’t want to trouble you too much, but if you could, I should ap- preciate it. That front hall of ours is not the softest place on earth. Proba- bly I wouldn't get home much before three, so you could get a good rest be- forehand.” “Oh, yes,” said Mrs. H., “T think that could be arranged. So much bet- ter, too, for me to supervise the affair personally.” “So I think.” “Well! Now that is settled, I have a confession to make to you.” “here goes.