Life, 1922-11-30 · page 5 of 36
Life — November 30, 1922 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains a satirical story and illustration about a wealthy man's romantic entanglement. The narrative describes a man with a Rolls-Royce and a colored chauffeur attending a Brazilian Minister's event, then hearing Russian music from a cloisonné box and lighting a Havana cigar with a German lighter—details emphasizing his cosmopolitan affectations and wealth. The accompanying illustration shows an intimate bedroom scene. The caption reads: "You're looking terribly, dear—liver?" / "No—lover." The satire targets upper-class hypocrisy and infidelity. The joke plays on "liver" (illness) versus "lover" (affair), suggesting the woman's exhaustion stems from an extramarital relationship rather than health problems. The detailed setup mocking the protagonist's pretentious lifestyle makes the moral failing more pointed.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
his Rolls-Royce, driven by a colored chauffeur, to his home, a little earlier than usual in order that his Swedish masseur might give him a rub- down and his Japanese valet help him dress for dinner, at which his Spanish wife was to entertain the Brazilian Minister. Afterwards they would attend a private sale of Italian pictures and probably drop in later LIFE to hear a little Russian music. From an exquisite cloisonné box he took out a fine Havana cigar and proceeded to light it with a patent lighter of German origin. His office boy, obviously a Jew, entered and announced that a young lady was waiting outside to see him. “Tell her,” said the magnate with a weary wave of his hand, “I have “You're /voking terribly, dear—liver?” “No—lover.” 3 left for the day—it isn’t anyone we know, is it? Did she give her name?” “Yes, sir,” replied the boy, “but I couldn’t make it out. ‘Le’ or ‘La’ something; she says she’s French.” The magnate’s manner changed. “Show her in,” he said, and sat down, the weariness suddenly leaving his face, D.T. comicbooks.com