Life, 1928-03-08 · page 14 of 43
Life — March 8, 1928 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a cartoon titled "Mrs. Pep's Diary" dated February 14th, depicting two figures in what appears to be a restaurant or social setting. The caption reads: "**First Gold Digger:** Have you finished with your banker friend yet? **Second Gold Digger:** No—I'm just applying the finishing touches." The satire targets "gold diggers"—a 1920s term for women who pursued wealthy men for financial gain rather than love. The joke depicts two such women casually discussing their romantic schemes, treating wealthy men as objects to be "finished" like projects. This reflects period anxieties about women's economic independence and changing social dynamics post-WWI, mocking both the women's mercenary attitudes and implicitly critiquing male vulnerability to such manipulation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
First Goto Diccer: Have you finished with your banker friend yet? Seconp Goiv Diccer: No—I'm just applying the finishing touches. February Several Valentines by the first post, amongst 14th A fe them in an inauspicious envelope an illustrated strip reading, “Dictionaries teem with words, encyclo- pedias, too, . Poetry and fiction give fine phrases not a few; Orators have shouted forth their wise and flowery speeches, But I can’t Say a thing except ‘Let's you and I be each's,” doubtless sent by the Bannings, for- asmuch as the only two points on which Sam and I do contend con- sistently are the temperature of our dwelling and which one of us shall look things up in lexicons and en- cyclopedias, both of us having a pen- chant for such research. Also a circular from Albert and Charles Boni telling me that the first edition 5 3 Hex Ppt Diary of “The Bridge of San Luis Rey” is now worth a considerable sum of money, a cruel proceeding on their part, methought, since they did not send me so much as a review copy, so I did write my sentiments on the margin of the circular and remailed it, and do hope that good may come of it. Up and did on my new black and white silk, the pattern of which Sam considers to resemble the back of a playing card, and off to Bloomingdale’s with Grace, my sempstress, to choose ma- terial for slips, but Lord! as is usual when I do set out for a spool of thread, I did come home having spent a hundred and ten dollars, and the next time I go in such a shop I do mean to wear blinders. For then I shall not be so reckless as to buy two hats off a counter, as I did to-day, nor a bright green cocktail shaker. Edith Oliver to tea, telling me she is to be married next summer, but that she fears to have a large home wed- ding for that the inevitable inebriety of the ushers will worry her mother, whereupon Sam did recall Mistress Oliver's own wedding, which he at- tended as a lad, and how the cheer was so good that old Judge Amberly fell downstairs. To the playhouse this night to see “Show Boat,” one of the most satisfactory entertainments that ever I saw in my life. The morning gone in February catching up with my 15th reading of periodicals, and apropos of a particularly ma- licious piece of criticism I set a-won- dering what these destructionists really do (Please turn to page 34) {Ft comicbooks.com