Life, 1912-04-04 · page 43 of 80
Life — April 4, 1912 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"Easter Joys"** mocks materialism in Easter celebrations. The poem sarcastically highlights how Easter religious significance is overshadowed by fashion concerns—new hats, harem skirts, pumps—with prices and vanity repeatedly interrupting religious declarations ("He is risen!"). **"Why So Few?"** satirizes New York City taxi drivers. A report claimed only 200 of NYC's cabbies were convicts; Life responds with mock outrage that the number is *too low*, sarcastically suggesting the profession attracts criminals and proposing all released convicts become taxi drivers. The joke implies NYC cabdrivers are already so dishonest/criminal that filling the profession with ex-convicts would be appropriate—a dark commentary on the taxi industry's reputation for exploitation and lawlessness. **"Animal Superiority"** is a brief quip: horses can draw artists better than most artists can draw horses—a visual pun on artistic competence. **"The Easter Parade in Africa"** (illustration) depicts what appears to be a minstrelsy-style caricature parade, likely satirizing European colonial presence or stereotypical representations of African peoples during Easter celebrations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Easter Joys H is risen! He is risen! (See my ‘lovely Easter hat!) He is risen! (Fifty dollare—cheap at that!) Death is vanquished, man is free (It’s becoming, you'll agree!) He is risen! He is risen! He is risen! (Do you like my harem skirt?) He is risen! He is risen! (Gracious! How hurt!) He has conquered Death's dark shade. (Here we go on dress parade!) C. Hilton-Turvey these new pumps Animal Superiority ERY few artists can draw a LEAP YEAR horse, but almost any kind of a horse can draw an arti Why So Few? Frou a report published in the papers we learn that there are two hundred convicts in New York who are running taxicabs. We cannot believe that this is true. The idea that only two hundred New York taxicab drivers are convicts strikes us with profound amazement. Such a condition ought to be remedied at once. It has seemed to us, at times, that the vocation of a taxicab driver in New York precludes the possibility of any moral instincts, although there are doubtless exceptions. If there be any hitherto respectable men with incipient traces of goodness in them who are engaged in running taxicabs, however, the authorities should be informed about this at once. What can Mayor Gaynor be doing? Here's a chance to make use of criminals after they have served their terms in jails. The cry hitherto has been that these outcast gentlemen could not find any use- ful occupation. The taxicab industry, however, now opens up a useful field. All jailbirds who have served their term should become taxicab drivers at once. When the list has been fully completed, and we know that there are no exceptions to this rule, we shall then ride in our taxicabs and be robbed with a sense that a deserving class of people who have hitherto been ignored are now re- ceiving the recognition to which they are entitled. THE EASTER PARADE IN AFRICA comicbooks.com