“The Listeners” (Among Us Mortals, 10/15/1944)
by W.E. (William Ely) Hill (1887-1962)
18.5 x 15 in., ink on board
Coppola Collection

W.E. (William Ely) Hill (1887-1962) was known for his masterful black and white Sunday page, “Among Us Mortals,” sometimes referred to as the Hill Page. Please see the Gallery description for more about Hill.

From this October 15, 1944 edition, titled “The Listeners” some quotes:

“Unattentive listener. You can’t blame him much if he is not paying strict attention to Sweetie Pie’s ma, who is telling him all about her last attack of lumbago. He’s trying to hear Sweetie Pie’s telephone conversation which is mostly, ‘Yes, honey. Yes. Uh huh. No, honey, I can’t. No. Not tonight, etc.’ ”

“Uninterested listener. Frances, the ration board secretary, is being bored to tears listening to old Mrs. Watty’s sad tale about what happened to her sugar ration. Doesn’t know where it went. It just seemed to fade away and she’s got to have at least ten pounds more.”