Life, 1922-01-19 · page 12 of 34
Life — January 19, 1922 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a short story about marriage and engagement rings, illustrated with a sketch showing a man and woman in what appears to be a domestic interior, with a model sailing ship visible. The narrative centers on Evelyn's refusal to wear an engagement ring, which her fiancé finds troubling. She argues that rings are unnecessary displays and that she prefers a "modern" approach to matrimony. The man counters that rings are traditional symbols of commitment, while she insists she doesn't want visible signs of being bound. The satire targets early 20th-century debates about women's independence and marriage customs. Evelyn represents the "modern woman" rejecting traditional feminine expectations, while the male character defends conventional courtship rituals—a common tension in Life magazine's social commentary of this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“There it is, Emily! Isn’t she a beauty, eh?” “Henry, you'll have to send that horrible thing away. You know what a terribly bad sailor I 7 AM,” said Evelyn (and I had every reason to suppose she meant it), “opposed to display. If I'm going to marry a poor man—” “There's no ‘if’ about put in I, hastily. “You are.” ““Since | am going to marry a poor man,” amended she, graciously, “it would be absurd to go about flashing a great headlight of an engagement ring; and so, dear—” “Don’t be silly,” I interrupted. “I’m not a pauper. I’m just reasonably im- poverished; modestly reduced in cir- cumstances. I might better, perhaps, say modishly reduced, since all the best people are nowadays. But no matter what my financial condition, a ring you're going to have, and a fine one!” Evelyn assumed an expression which, for the briefest moment, ridiculously recalled that of her father the first time he refused me as a son-in-law. am! A Sermon in Stones “No, dear.’ She was very firm. “There are a thousand other things we'd better buy; and I don’t care for it. Really, I don’t. I’m very modern. I don’t like the visible sign of any bond. I—I probably sha’n’t wear a wedding ring, even.” “You certainly will if you contract an alliance with me,” I said, showing a firmness equal to her own. “You may not wear it long. Goodness knows, matrimony is no life-sentence these days! But you'll begin with it if you begin with me, and you'll endure it while you endure me. So that’s that!” Evelyn raised her eyebrows; at least she appeared to do so, as far as I could judge from the play of her other fea- tures under her pent-house hat, and then she unexpectedly murmured, “Very well,” in a voice as soft as the cooing dove’s. “And if a wedding ring, why not an engagement ring?” added I, pursuing my advantage. “It’s an awful extravagance.” “Oh, you can find them at all prices, from a dollar and a half for the best glass solitaire at B ’s to the latest thing in crown jewels at C. ’s, fora King’s ransom.” “I don’t want either.” “You won't get either.” “T don’t want anything of the kind I’ve told you I don’t like rings.” “Who was it went into raptures over Tsabel Ingot’s betrothal badge only yes- terday? Like a bull’s-eye it was, too. “Perhaps that came from—where did you say the $1.50 solitaires were?” said Evelyn. “No, dearest, we can’t com- pete with her there; don’t let’s try.” “We might have a shy at it,” said I “Tsn’t she lunching with you to-mor- row? Suppose I bring you your talis- man to-night—such as it is.” “As if I wanted to exhibit it to her,” cried Evelyn. “Don’t be ridiculous, dear. I don’t envy her either her fiancé § or her ring, handsome as they are.” comicbooks.com tu We wi