Life, 1921-06-02 · page 27 of 44
Life — June 2, 1921 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains three satirical pieces about early 20th-century social conventions: **"The Confidences of a Modern Child"** mocks parental manipulation—a child deliberately withholds news of the circus to test her father's affection, then "forgives" him, exploiting his emotional vulnerability. The satire targets both the child's calculated behavior and the father's eager capitulation. **"Linguistic"** jokes that a husband can only "get a word in edgeways" because his wife talks constantly—a common complaint about domineering wives in period comedy. **The stenographer joke** stereotypes young female office workers as unreliable, vain (powdering their noses), and incompetent (chronic misspellings and tardiness). This reflects workplace sexism of the era, presenting these failings as predictable female traits rather than individual issues. The top illustration shows a woman leaving for dinner while a child protests someone might see her—satirizing either maternal propriety or social anxiety about unmarried activities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“ WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MOTHER?" “OUT TO DINNER, DEAR.” “* BUT SOMEONE MICHT SEE you!” The Confidences of a Modern Child HAD some genuine amusement at Father's expense yes- terday. Not often do I have an opportunity’ to discomfit him without risk to my person; but this time the circumstances were complete. Purposely I had refrained from mentioning the circus, and ever since it was announced had carefully evaded ted Father's leading inquiries. So perfectly did I affect ifference that more than a week ago he became genuinely Cireus day came without his knowing whether or would get to go with me. He even volunteered to ask Cousin Gladys, who is the only other child in the connection, but Mother responded that Gladys had been exposed to a child who knew a child who had whooping cough. So that settled that 38 an excuse, F seeing father’s great unhappiness, 1 followed him from the breakfast table and asked him timidly if he would take me to the circus. You should have seen his face light up with pleasure and relief! He positively ran down the steps, waving to me and calling to me to be ready at one sharp. His unafiected boyishness made me love him all the more and regret that | had caused him so much pain. Linguistic G" LET: Aren't your remarks to your wife rather sharp and pointed, old man? Pexxy: That's because I can only get a word in edgeways Fes it's always fair weather "—three miles out. “YOUR NEW STENOGRAPHER IS QUITE GOOD-LOOKING, DO YOU FIND HER RELIABLE?” “YES, 1 CAN RELY ON HER BEING JUST SO MANY MINUTES LATE EVERY MORNING, ON HER SPENDING SO MUCH TIME POWDERING MER NOSE, AND ON HER SPELLING THE SAME WORDS WRONG EVERY TIME.” comicbooks.com