Life — May 18, 1911 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 972 **"The Usual Question" cartoon** depicts an angel asking an old man "Say, old man, what's their horsepower?" — a joke about modern obsession with automobiles replacing traditional heavenly concerns. The angel and man stand on clouds, making this an afterlife scene where even celestial beings care about cars. **"Ah There, Colonel!" article** discusses President Smith of the Mormon Church, citing 1910 birth/death statistics (38 per 1,000 births; 9 per 1,000 deaths). The text humorously suggests looking at "Oyster Bay" statistics for comparison — likely referencing Theodore Roosevelt's location — to understand demographic influences on the Mormon Church's high birth rate. The circular photograph shows two men in conversation, though their identities aren't specified in visible text.