Life, 1918-02-28 · page 29 of 40
Life — February 28, 1918 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces about marriage and desire: **"His Idea of It"** (top): A husband and wife negotiate consumption. Mrs. Hopeson obsesses over a $250 caracal coat, feeling "nothing else in the world mattered." Her husband Hopeson attempts a trade—he'll skip a dinner if she forgoes the coat—but she refuses, revealing the futility of his bargaining. The satire mocks both spousal materialism and the husband's naive hope to control his wife's spending through negotiation. The elaborate fantasy illustration above suggests the coat represents an impossible dream. **"A Mystery"** (bottom): A brief joke about marriage patterns: first marriage for love, second for money, third—incomprehensible. The satire suggests marriage calculations become increasingly mercenary with experience, implying even practical remarriages eventually exhaust logical motivation. Both pieces satirize early-20th-century marriage dynamics, particularly women's consumer desires and the transactional nature couples develop over time.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Hopeson rubbed his hands. “Good!” he exclaimed. “Glad to hear it.” “To-morrow I am going shoppihg. There is a certain caracal coat that I have been looking at—I may say that the sales-woman laid it aside for me. I feel as if nothing else in the world mattered, as long as I have that coat. Dreadfully selfish of me, isn’t it?) But I can't help that. And so to-morrow, when I look at it again, I know just how it will be. I feel perfectly certain that I shall order it sent home.” “How much is it?” gasped Hope- son, “Perfectly awful! That's the heart- rending part of it. Two hundred and uch a relief to think you know about it in advance.” Hopeson leaned forward again. “Look here!” he exclaimed, “I tell you what I will do. I won't go to that dinner if you will agree not to get that coat.” And Mrs, Hopeson smiled back: “Nonsense, my dear! I wouldn't have you miss that dinner for any- thing!" T.LM. A Mystery sad E married the first time for love. and the second time for money!" “And the third?” “T cannot imagine. A chap never marries over once for cither money or love!” ‘LIFE: 349 HIS IDEA OF IT IMPRESSIONS IN A DENTIST'S CHAIR comicbooks.com