Life — December 9, 1920 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Life" Magazine Page: "Ballade of Faithless Loves" This page combines poetry with illustration and social commentary on romantic infidelity. The poem "Ballade of Faithless Loves" (left) laments women's unfaithfulness, listing names like Evelyn, Sue, May, Maul, Marjorie, Amy, Margaret, and Helen as examples of romantic betrayal. The illustration (right) depicts a formal social gathering—likely a wealthy drawing room or party—where a man (Stillson, based on the story text) observes a woman he loves flirting with another man. The caption reads: "IS SHE CLEVER?" with the response "YES, QUITE. SHE CONTRIVES TO LET NO ONE SUSPECT HER OF BEING HALF AS STUPID AS SHE REALLY IS." This satirizes upper-class women as manipulative and deceptive in romantic pursuits, reflecting early 20th-century attitudes about gender and courtship.