Life, 1922-11-02 · page 9 of 40
Life — November 2, 1922 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical cartoon and article from *Life* magazine about Thanksgiving borrowing practices. **The Cartoon:** Two fashionably dressed women discuss a former classmate, Susan Strong, who "married a genius." The satire targets the social aspiration of marrying wealthy or accomplished men as a path to security. **The Article "Get the Spirit of Thanksgiving":** Written by "McC. H.," it ironically suggests that borrowing money to finance holiday celebrations—particularly to purchase items like fur coats and cover travel expenses—represents a practical application of Thanksgiving gratitude. The piece sardonically argues that borrowing leverages "grace periods" on insurance and creates financial obligations that help one "make a start toward financing the Christmas trip." The satire mocks both consumer excess and the financial rationalization people use to justify holiday spending beyond their means.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
pusete Oi le ae Vike, Sally: Whatever became of Susan Strong, who used to be in our class? Peggy: Oh, didn’t you hear about her? My dear, the poor thing married a genius. ID you ever stop to think how the simple act of- borrowing one’s Christmas savings to pay the family’s fares back home to the Chanksgiving reunion sharpens ap- preciation of the day’s_ blessings? Chen there is the quiet, serene satis- faction of listening to one’s father tell of the crops and what he got for this and that. It gives a man such a Get the Spirit of Thanksgiving contented feeling to have such a good approach toward borrowing the return fares to the city. He can re- lax and take his ease and another helping of turkey. As the miince pie appears, an easy calculation tells one that by borrow- ing to replace those Christmas sav- ings also, he may get the cash to buy his wife that fur coat she needs so sadly; and by taking advantage of the days of grace on his insurance policy and then borrowing on it, he can make a start toward financing the Christmas trip to her mother’s. If more fellows appreciated the blessings of the trip back to the old home at Thanksgiving time, the trains would be much more crowded. McC. H. comicbooks.com