Life, 1925-01-22 · page 29 of 36
Life — January 22, 1925 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines diary humor with advertisements and social commentary typical of 1920s Life magazine. **"Mrs. Pep's Diary"** is a parody of Samuel Pepys's famous 17th-century diary, reimagined as his wife's account. The satire mocks both marital dynamics and gender politics: Mrs. Pepys struggles with her husband's controlling behavior (forbidding her social activities) while he selfishly spends on himself. The humor lies in her subtle resistance and the absurdity that Pepys would worry about a woman's "morganatic" (socially beneath-station) friendships. The **brief poem "For a Bright Child"** offers darkly comedic parenting advice: blame household damage on the cat instead of accepting consequences—satirizing poor parenting and child psychology. **"To Ensure a Cheerful Viewpoint"** advertises Life magazine itself as a cure for family discontent, promising sunshine through humor. The **Dreicer jewelry advertisement** represents typical luxury marketing of the era. The closing note about Boston's 300th anniversary joining "the Union" is political satire—Boston already belongs to the Union, so this absurdist joke likely mocks some contemporary political debate.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mrs. Pep’s Diary (Continued from page 9) ight has been written since “Tom nes’...-To the playhouse after inner to see “The Student Prince,” stirring musick version of “Old Hei- lberg,” which moved me to such an ndance of tears that Sam was amed and whispered, Pull yourself ether, else I shall not risk taking 1 to Ed Wynn's show. Up betimes, listening to a long harangue from my 16th rusband for having ac- pted the invitation of a woman I met bridge whose position he deems sestionable, whereupon I did remind m of my own integrity and Horace’s Je about the upright man upon whom cn a wolf turned tail That may go r the Sabine forest, retorted Sam, t a morganatic establishment is some- thing quite different. So I did promise ot to go, sensing a good opportunity jor mentioning my need of a new eve- ling cloak....Reading this day in The Ladies!” by E. Barrington, a fine hook of eighteenth century gossip given me for Christmas by Tella Brown, I was astonished in the chapter devoted to an imaginary diary which Mrs, Samuel Pepys might have kept at the poor wretch's difficulty in getting a new petticoat or anything for herself soever, hecause of Pepys’s enthusiasm in lay- ing out money for his own apparel. I do rejoice that my Sam is not thus niggardly with me, and as for his own , Lord! if I did not conspire with his tailor he would go about looking like a man out of employment. January Jonuary Marie Doro come to luncheon, and Sam home, 17th too, a-twitting me for bawling at “The Student Prince,” but Marie spoke up and said she had wept so steadily through it herself that Alex- ander Woollcott, sitting a few seats away, had tossed her his pocket hand- kerchief, Whilst we were still at table, & messenger arrived with a small pack- age from Tiffany's, which I did open, @ PALM BEACH Franne xg rT ding Learls ~Jewels Tecious Stones of important loveliness-in Drercer seHings created fo ennoblet each jewel DREICER eC® 560 ft “ifth Al tvenue New York beauty of all a-flutter, but it contained nought but a china pig bank with a ten-cent piece deposit, sent, methinks, by C. Dodds to match me for having given him one golf stocking for Christmas. Baird Leonard. To Ensure a Cheerful Viewpoint for Your Family Take LIFE For a Bright Child Ir in the parlor you should play When Mother's told you out to stay, And you should break a pretty vase, Or knock a statue from its base So it lies smashed upon the floor, Keep calm and don't set up a roar. Just run downstairs the cat to get; If there are two, it's better yet. Then shut them in the parlor, and Go right upstairs, you understand, And read a book or play a game. The silly cats will get the blame. home and have sunshine and cheerfulness in your house, and smiling faces throughout the year! Special Offer Enclosed find 0 Ons Dollar (Canadian $1.20; Foreign $1.40). id Live for the next ten weeks to G. K.D. Tue three hundredth anniversary of the founding of Boston will be cele- wbrated in’a few years. This, we think, would be a fitting occasion to take up the question of admitting Boston to the Union, One Year, $5 Canadian,$$.80 Foreign, $6.60 LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York «tr comicbooks.com