Life, 1919-06-12 · page 28 of 46
Life — June 12, 1919 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces: **"The Wise and the Otherwise"** is a romantic short story about a widow and bachelor. The widow, confident and experienced from a previous marriage, claims she has no interest in remarriage. The bachelor pursues her, eventually trapping her into an engagement—though the final twist reveals they were actually engaged ten years prior, suggesting the entire encounter was a romantic game. The satire gently mocks both characters' pretense and the "battle of the sexes" romantic dynamics of the era. **The cartoon at bottom** is a brief joke about parental expectations during economic hardship. A mother dismisses her daughter's suggestion that the father work harder to afford a seashore vacation, implying wives don't encourage husbands to labor more intensely—a commentary on gender roles and economic responsibility in working-class households. The top cartoon illustrates a nervous new driver, exaggerating the car's appearance as unstable—typical slapstick humor about automobile anxiety in the early automotive age.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HOW IT LOOKS To THE MAN LEARNING TO DRIVE The Wise and the Otherwise HE widow rearranged the chairs, patted the pillows and smiled at “You are him, “1 the desirable man. feetly safe,” she informed haven't the slightest desire to marry ain or to fall in love. Both are good experiences for girls.” per- “T wonder what manner of wife you were?” mused the bachelor. “The usual brand “Did you fall in love with the right man at the right time?” She looked across the lawn; he saw her eyes deepen at an old memory. Mother: No, ETHE YEAR, YOU A VISIT TO THE SEASHORE IS OUT OF THE FATHER CAN'T AFFORD IT, “MOTHER, MAS LT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU THAT FATHER COULD WORK HARDER IF We TRIED?” “Pardon me. I touch a wound.” “When a woman did not mean to meets the right man at the right time, it is for all time,” she smiled back. He looked annoyed. She was so sure of herself that he was spurred to break down her confidence. “Ts there nothing left to give to an- other man?” She looked into his ey “You cannot lead me into a flirt tion You can comfortable without saying things -I am past the age. me which I do not care to hear “But I have a desire to “Tl call one of the girls, rising as if to make good her word “No, no; T want you. T would rathe marry you than one of those puff-powder girls.” “T thought you objected to marr on the ground that it ended y dom.” “One always says that. unt right woman appears.” She laughed, and her mi him, He was the hunter now, with the mitive instinct to trap his gam “Suppose I were to tell you the truth, you laughing, elusi “T de “But you shall,” he said in a terful v “T love you, and you are going to marry me.” The retreated to a covered corner, and the bachelor fol- lowed. He caught her in his and she yielded herself after protest. “IT have broken down foolish theory of second marriage,” he said triumphantly. An hour later all the women gue at the big hotel knew that the desira’ man had been trapped, but the mex thought he had bagged big game when he caught the woman who let then all know that’ she stung woman? not care to hear it widow vines arins, much your would never marry again. Outside in the fragrant darkness the bachelor smiled as he looked into the widow's eyes. “I wonder would say if they knew we were engaged ten years ago.” Evangeline Weir what the wise one! ADG What makes you think she’s such an imaginative girl? Marjorie: Look at the bathing dress she wears, She imagines it’s there. comicbooks.com