Life, 1912-04-04 · page 35 of 80
Life — April 4, 1912 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page announces the winning entry in *Life* magazine's caption contest for a cartoon image (reproduced on the page). The winning caption, submitted by Mrs. J. G. Irving of Toronto, was selected from 9,307 total entries. The cartoon depicts what appears to be a ghostly or spectral figure (likely a husband's shade/spirit) encountering a widow or woman. The winning caption plays on this supernatural premise with suggestive humor about intoxication and marital situations. The page also lists fourteen finalist captions considered by five judges, revealing period attitudes toward humor: many reference death, remarriage, infidelity, and female sexuality with dark comedy. References to "Falstaff" and "The Merry Widow" suggest classical literary and theatrical allusions familiar to educated readers. The announcement notes the next contest will begin April 18, 1912, in the New England edition—this was a regular feature of *Life* magazine's engagement with readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE WINNING TITLE A good story, rightly told, Provoketh mirth in young and old, And ever raiseth spirits. HE winning title to the contest picture reproduced on this page was sent in by MRS, J. G. IRVING, 1516 Kixe Steer, West, Toronto, CANana. The picture was first published in Lire’s Fashion Num- ber, March 7, and again in the issue following, March 14. The contest closed at noon on Saturday, March 23 There were in all 0307 answers received. From all of the answers, thirty-six were selected among the probabilities. Each of the five judges took a separate list of these thirt titles and independently selected five which in his or her judgment were the best. This re- sulted in fourteen titles, Each judge made from this 699 list a final selection of three titles, placing them in the order of merit. It was then discovered that two of the judges had the winning title first on their lists, two had it second and one had it third. The titles finally considered by the judges were the fourteen that follow: “You make us drunk with mirth!” crie “Vm an intoxicating spirit,” quoth he. i! to Life again returns old Falstaff! x floods the night whalebone The Merry Widow. The husband's shade returns to earth, Expects regret, but findeth mirth, Physical Culture Class. Exercises for deep breathing and flesh reduction Man reduced to Phantom “Dead men tell no tales, but maybe they hear some good ones.” Some people like, as docs this maid, A joke with a suggestive shade. Learns husband died. “I'm freed,” laughs she, (Nor knows he, too, is filled with glee) Matron and shade, but ill repress their mirth, While Youth declares, “ Love Rules the Earth.” Quoth the ghost of her husband, “ Phillipa, my dear, That's the same old joke, You told me last year.” “One Touch of Scandal Makes Both Worlds Kin. “Tf three’s a crowd— They say it's such— This surely is A shade too much.” “We note the nurse and lovesick maid, But think the title’s in the shade.” “The Girls I Left Behind Me.” A good story, rightly told, Provoketh mirth in young and old, And ever raiseth spirits. The Next Contest Will Begin in the New England Number, April 18, 1912 comicbooks.com