Life, 1921-09-01 · page 14 of 35
Life — September 1, 1921 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents character sketches rather than a political cartoon. The illustration shows "The Morning After the Burgars' Raid in Commuterville"—depicting well-dressed commuters at a train station apparently reacting to a local crime. The two text columns offer satirical character portraits: "The Author" (a struggling writer) and "The Society Leader" (a wealthy woman obsessed with her Pekingese dog, charity galas, and jewelry). Parker's humor targets the pretensions and shallow concerns of these American social types—the author's financial incompetence and moral bankruptcy, the society woman's hysteria and serial marriages. These appear to be generic social commentary rather than references to specific public figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
mi =H ey The Morning After the Burglare’ Raid in Commutersville Figures in American Folk Lore By Dorothy Parker The Author IS is not like real work. He does not need to settle down to working hours. Novels and stories just flash across his mind at odd moments— usually in the dead of the night. He went through ten years of fruitless effort before he sold his first story. During this time, he was constantly at the point of starvation. From the moment that his first story was accepted, he was made. He is wholly unable to add up a column of figures cor- rectly, understand any mechanical apparatus, find his way anywhere without assistance, or purchase anything without being cheated. He wears his neckties and his morals loose. He believes everything that he writes. It is impossible for him to save money or to keep track of how much he spends. His occupation may be all very well for him—but it is scarcely the career that any red-blooded man would choose to follow. The Society Leader Aut her affections are centered on her small and snappish Pekinese. She never sees her children—if any. If she comes upon them suddenly, they have to be introduced to her before she is able to recall them. When she attends the opera, she talks in a loud, high voice, which successfully drowns out Martinelli’s. She always crosses her knees when being photographed. She is incessantly organizing charity affairs, the proceeds of which are almost as great as the expenses incurred She would do almost anything to get her name in the papers, and anything to get her picture in. No matter what her costume, she never omits her ropes of pearls, and seldom her diamond tiara. If she attends a dinner, dance, or reception, she is in 4 state of hysteria until she can give one twice as spectacular. It is difficult for her to say off-hand, without consulting her secretary, exactly how many times, and from whom, she has been divorced. She always marries either for money or position. un An adi we comicbooks.com