Life, 1912-05-23 · page 30 of 44
Life — May 23, 1912 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three brief humorous anecdotes rather than political cartoons. **"Goethal's Method"** mocks military over-complication. Col. Goethals, an engineering instructor at West Point, posed cadets an elaborate problem about raising a fallen flagpole using derricks and tackle. His punchline: simply order the sergeant to do it. The joke satirizes military bureaucracy and unnecessary complexity. **"Better than an Alibi"** uses period dialect humor (transcribed in contemporary racist language) about a Black servant named Mose who dodged church discipline for dancing by claiming drunkenness—his friends' testimony that he was too intoxicated to know his actions secured his pardon. The humor relies on stereotypes about Black speech and behavior. **The schoolchild anecdote** presents wordplay: when asked which two important institutions were established in Washington's administration, a student answers "Mint and gin"—confusing the U.S. Mint and cotton gin (actual inventions) with alcoholic beverages. The page is primarily advertisements for Arnold, Constable & Co. and Dean's Wedding Services.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Better than an Alibi Col. G. M. Quarles, a tobacco planter in Christian County, Kentucky, has a darky manservant named Mose. Mose was driving his boss into town one day SAVE S508, AVE when: he suddenly remarked: “ Marse Garrett, dey had me up befoah Goethal’s Method . my church las’ night fur dancin’.” . “T don’t suppose you were guilty— were you, Mose?” asked the Colonel. “Yas, suh; yas, suh,” said Mose. I was y of dancin’, and dey proved it on me, too; but I come clear. My friends stuck to me close, and after dem other niggers had done testified ag’inst me my friends all got up and testified dat, though it was true I danced, I was so drunk at de time I didn’t know whut I was doin’. So I come clear—and the preacher ‘scused me!” —Saturday Evening Post. The following story is told of Col. George W. Goethals, who at the time it occurred was an instructor in engineer- ing at West Point. One day, during a recitation, he gave out this question to a class of cadets: “The post flagpole, sixty fect high, has fallen down. You are ordered by your commanding officer to put it up again. You have under your command a sergeant and ten privates of the en- gincer corps. How would you get the pole back into p! " Sach cadet, after long consideration dd much fi ng over derricks, blocks, tackle, and so on, evolved a different method “No,” said Goethals, “you are all wrong. You would simply say: *Ser- ; 5 portant institutions were established in geant, put up that flagpole !?” n were ¢ —Saturday Evening Post. Washington's administration?” wrote, “Mint and gin! "—Argonaut, Havixe learned the important date when the United States mint was estab- lished and the cotton gin invented, a grammar-school pupil in Kentucky, an- swering the question, “What two im- S.. England, AGENTS. Brentauos’s. 37 Ave. de Opera, Haris; iso at Saartad p ic. Fleet St. E. Ca, Londoay 148 Ree du Fasbourg. St. Denis, Paris: 1, Vis . Germany. ins in Lire ave copsrighted. For Reprint Rights in Great Britain apply to Lire, 1M Pvesnrt matifcation sonal be vent br subscribers ane change wf adden, “Tole CO Ory Goods-Carpets- Upholstery The Furnishing of Eos Country Places ; is a Special Feature of our Business ‘ ~ Sugdestions for Weddings Send us the Color and Flower Scheme of your Wedding, the number of guests expected at the Reception and the size of the Bridal Party, and we will be pleased to send you suggestions of DEAN'S lastest New York ideas, with prices of Wedding Cake in boxes with monograms of distinctive design, filled with DEAN'S famous Wedding Cake, the Bride's Cake, containing special gifts, unusual Favors for the Bridal Party, Cases for the Ices, Special Confetti, the Bride's Cake Knife, elc., ele. EXPRESSAGE PREPAID To any shipping point within 300 miles of New York City, provided the rate is not more than $1.50 per hundred p.unds. Visitors to New York clisays welcome. We are equipped to take entire charge of the furnishing and decorating of cottages, chalets, bungalows, country clubs, and the more pretentious out of town residences. Estimates given and original sketches of various interior treatments prepared by our own staff of artists will be submitted upon request. A large stock of the most appropriate upholstery fabrics for coverings and hang- ings, also curtains, oriental, domestic aud fibre rugs and carpetings always on hand. ) ql Broa rl & 19 65 Eslablihed ) %y 628 Fal Av. NEW YORK Ytunid ‘New York comicbooks.com