Life, 1924-07-17 · page 15 of 36
Life — July 17, 1924 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This sketch satirizes domestic chaos. A mother and daughter argue about pest control while preparing their home. The daughter insists on calling a store to order moth preventatives, while the conscientious mother proposes using camphor, cedar oil, and other traditional fumigants to protect their belongings from moths—a genuine household concern of the era. The humor lies in the clash between the daughter's modern consumer impulse (ordering from a store) and the mother's practical, old-fashioned approach. The sketch also includes a Katz Pajamas advertisement (visible storefront), suggesting the connection between clothing, moths, and consumer anxiety about protecting one's wardrobe and household goods.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Moth, the Merrier A Midsummer's Day Tragedy ‘TRE DUTIFUL DAUGHTER: ce, Mother, a moth! ie Conscientious Housewirr: My Goodness! (She starts in pursuit.) Tue Daucuter: And another! And another! (She starts in pursuit.) Tue Motuer: This is terrible! We just put everything away at once. (She hurries out.) Tue Davucuter (going to the tele- one): Is this the store? Send up ill the moth preventives you have. (The mother comes in again with a we pile of blankets and curtains.) Tue Motner: We shall start with hese. (The daughter hurries out and ves back with a huge pile of blankets md twoolen clothing.) Tue Daventer: And we mustn't forget these. (4 bell is heard.) Tue Motner: The materials have irrived. The store is prompt. (She joes out and returns with a bulky trundle.) Tue DaucutTer (unfastening the bundle): Here is camphor and cedar il; citronella, tar and pine-odor; aspirin, valerian and tobacco fumes. Tue Motner: Good! We shall use them all. (She opens the camphor.) Tue Daucnter: Phew! Tue Motner: Phew! (She shakes it on the pile of rugs.) “{ DON'T SEE WHAT'S GOING TO BECOME OF MARY, SHE DOESN'T LIKE TO WORK AND SHE'S NOT DOMESTIC, EITHER.” Tue Daventer (opening the cedar oil): Ah! Tue Motner: Ah! (She sprays it over the curtains. Then she opens the citronella and the tar.) Tue Daucuter: Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! Tue Motner: Ugh! Ugh! Ugh! But it is very good for the moth. Tue Daucnter (opening the vale- AN ENTERPRISING MERCHANT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF A POPULAR PHRASE rian and the tobacco fumes): Oh, Mer- ciful Heavens! Tue Motner: Oh, Heavens! (She opens the aspirin and swallows three tablets without water. She opens the pine-odor.) This pine-odor is nice. Tue Davonter: Is it? I hadn't noticed, (She speaks in a thick voice. The room grows heavy with camphor, cedar oil, citronella, tar, pine-odor, as- pirin, valerian and tobacco fumes.) Tne Motner (gasping): The air is ++every close. But at least...we have prevented the...moths from eat- ing up...our things... (She staggers a few steps and falls unconscious.) Tue Davcuter: Poor Mother! I must open a window. (She gropes her way to the window and opens it. The draft swirls a gust of heavy, about her head.) Ah-b- How heavy...the air is.... But we have .-prevented the moths from...de- stroying.... (She falls unconscious. Through the open window a large troop of moths. flit gracefully in and settle upon, the pile of rugs, blankets, por- tidres and woolen clothing.) Tue Motn-Proor Curtain Fats, Henry William Hanemann. Business Is Business “T)O they take in summer boarders?” “Awfully.” comicbooks.com