Life, 1921-01-13 · page 15 of 36
Life — January 13, 1921 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon depicts a street scene with a well-dressed man (likely representing a wealthy gentleman) surrounded by children in poor clothing. The caption reads: "WHAT'S A LITTLE ZERO WEATHER WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW WATCH CHAIN?" This is satirical commentary on class disparity and materialism. The joke critiques a wealthy man who boasts about a new luxury accessory (a watch chain) while indifferent to children suffering in freezing conditions around him. The "zero weather" refers to dangerously cold temperatures. The accompanying story, "God's Patience and the King's English," appears to be a separate piece satirizing pretentious speech and social affectation among the upper classes. Together, the page mocks both wealth-blind indifference to poverty and affected refinement in speech—targets typical of Life's satirical social commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WHAT'S A LITTLE ZERO WEATHER WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW WATCH CHAIN? God's Patience and the King’s English “T THINK,” said Mercedes, “that Arthur Foote is awfully cute.” “Is what?” [I exclaimed in horror. Mercedes is wont to clothe the more subtle niceties of speech in the rather mere- tricious garments of common slang. Arthur, to my knowledge, was six feet one and a quarter inches tall and possessed a cor- responding. displacement. “ "said Mercedes, “awfully cute—don't you?” I roared. “1 don’t think anything’s cute sniffed Mercedes, “you wouldn't. You're a nasty old you are.” fy dear, how many times have I asked you not to call things cute? Why do you persist in limiting your descriptive vocabulary to a few trite and —unladylike terms?" “What! Well, of all things! You ask me to— I'll be happy if you'll mind yeur affairs. I'l say what I please.” There being no polite answer to that, 1 made none at all Mercedes knew very well I was right. She was probably ex- tremely sorry she had said cute. For a while we were both lusy with our thoughts. Mercedes, I imagined, was thinking of a number of things she might have called Arthur. thinking of a number of things she might have called me. “Margaret Jenkins was here to-day,” resumed Mercedes. ‘ .” said I, determined to do my share, “My dear, that girl’s a perfect scream.” 1 was This time I held my tongue. But my face slipped. 1 winced Mercedes was instantly on the defensive. “What are you making faces about?” “My neuritis,” I lied. “Your neuri— You haven't any neuritis positively ill!" she wailed she asked, indignantly Oh, you make me “You're forever finding fault. 1 can’t say anything.” “ Mercedes,” said I, patiently, “1 cannot bear hearing a girl with your education, advantages and intelligence use phrases commonly popular with common persons. Furthermore, as one trained in discrimination, . “Oh, be quiet,” sniffed Mercedes. “Leave me alone.” Ensued a lull in the tempest. Mercedes knew I was right. Therefore she sulked in silence. I was keenly aware of how any advances of mine would be received. It hecame a contest in keeping silent—a gentle game in which a woman can in- variably beat a man—when she so chooses. But I evened the odds with a really interesting book. In five minutes I had forgiven Mercedes everything. In ten, I would have snatched her with positive pleasure from under the wheels of a taxicab. Time passed “Tootles.” said Mercedes finally, (curse all pet names!), “how would you like me to make you some fudge?” I, miserable wretch, capitulated completely. “ Swell! “ Absolutely swell!” Henry William Hanemann, 1 murmured enthusiastically comicbooks.com