Life, 1909-07-01 · page 14 of 44
Life — July 1, 1909 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century Life magazine humor: **"Peter Piper"** mocks Republican protectionist tariff policy by rewriting the nursery rhyme. It suggests GOP politicians pick ordinary citizens' pockets while claiming to protect them through tariffs—the "Sacred Tariff" supposedly fills their pockets, which they then pick from. **"Psychology"** is nonsensical satire of pseudo-intellectual psychology jargon. Terms like "tweedledee," "tweedledum," and references to "the dog star" and "autumeal equinox" parody how psychology was being presented as profound science when it was often incomprehensible nonsense. **"The Real Surprise of It"** criticizes Mark Twain for plagiarizing from another author's Shakespeare book without credit, then ironically noting that Twain's fame actually benefited the original author through free publicity—the opposite of what one might expect. The cartoon and shorter jokes are light domestic humor unrelated to political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
There was a little man, an’ He a little cannon; The bullets were made of lead, lead, lead. He let this little cannon Go off in his hand, an’ Thi still looking rou his head, head, he Will Last Longer! HE: We've known each other such a very short time. You should not expect me to allow you to kiss me 80 quickly. He: All right, I'l do it slowly. SEES Peter Piper F Peter Piper picked a pile of people’s pockets, then where's the pile of people whose pockets Peter Piper picked? You'll find ‘em mostly in the G. O. P., for only as they stand staunchly by the principle of protec- tion can be preserved that Sacred Tariff in virtue of which Peter Piper is provided with pockets from which to pick his pile. Psychology SYCHOLOGY teaches us the difference between tweedledee and tweedledum. Hence its im- mense importance. With tweedledce on deck, the efferent nerves are taking sensatory messages from somewhere or other to the next station on the line; with tweedledum on deck, the sensatory messages are unloading the stations By tweedledee we learn how to govern children, develop their minds and get them into the habit of inhibitory processes. By tweedledum we learn the value of expression, as contained in the works of eminent psychologists. Therefore, nothing suc- ceeds like psychology When tweedledee and tweedledum are in transit, and crossed with the dog star, then you must take ] your nerve centres out and hang them on the line to dry But when the orbit of tweedledum has crossed the autumeal equinox, and tweedledee is resting its perihelion over Harvard College, it is well to consider the advantages of the highest culture with the deep indigo shades of transverse morality In either case you must be profound; if you are not profound you are not a psychologist, and if you are not a psychologist God help you! TLL. M. oe | “1 AM GOING TO SLAP cou “Por VY YOU SLAB YOUR COUSIN?’ “WE 18 TURNING HIS NOSE UP AT ME “MEY, THERE! DON’T COME TOO CLOSE WITH THAT CIGAR! 2’VE JUST EATEN A BOX OF FIRECRACKERS.” The Real Surprise of It ARK TWAIN wrote a book about Shakespeare, of which about one- seventh was lifted out of another book written by a man whose name Mark forgot to mention, The other man’s publishers have been going through the motions of wrath, because Mark used their man’s goods but gave him and them no advertisement. Feeling that they were entitled to advertisement they have proceeded to help themselves to all they could, at Uncle Mark’s expense. That is all right, and very amusing, and we hope they get all they are after. But it is to laugh at the idea of anybody expecting Uncle Mark to exercise his really wonderful gift of advertisement for the bencfit of any writer but him- self. The real wonder is that Mark rentioned Shakespeare. In the Aggregate “TF you must fight, Bobbie, take some- fone of your size.”” “Well, papa, it amounted to the same thing this morning. I licked two boys, cach of them balf as big as I was.” ” comicbooks.com