Life, 1912-10-10 · page 13 of 48
Life — October 10, 1912 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page features three pieces of humorous social commentary: **The Illustration** at top depicts supernatural/fantastical figures—an angel and what appears to be a devil or demon with other creatures—suggesting a moral or afterlife theme, though its specific reference is unclear from the image alone. **"Autumn"** (poem by Lorelyn Louise Everett) is sentimental verse about fall's beauty and melancholy. **"The Highbrow"** satirizes intellectual pretension. It describes highbrows as geographically distributed across America (not just Boston/Indiana), congregating in women's clubs and literary societies. The satire suggests highbrows are often tactless snobs, occasionally intelligent but mostly exceptions to their type's general mediocrity—mocking mid-century intellectual affectation. **"Nix on the Slang"** humorously dismisses college slang as affected and pretentious, advising against linguistic affectation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Autumn HE sun is up, the breeze away, Arise, my heart, for it is day! The autumn’s breath is wild and sweet; Awake, the golden morn to greet. The river flows so swift, so swift, The trees a hundred colors lift Against the wind that rides so free Across the fields, across the sea; The flying wind from the cold main, That bears all summer in its train! The world is vivid with the dawn. Arise. my heart, the night is gone! Oh, listen, listen to my voice; Awake, belovéd, and rejoice! These hours are lent from hoard Where so much happiness is stored— So hasten, we are misers, too; Do we not heed the heaven's bluc, The shining carth—without alloy— The fullness of our sun-kissed joy! Leolyn Louise Everett. winter's THE OUTCASTS The Highbrow HE Highbrow is not indigent to any soil, but can be seen in all localities. He is about evenly divided between the two sexes. The origin of the Highbrow is not known, but it is supposed to be either Boston or southern Indiana. The hab- its of the Highbrow are essentially the same, no matter where he may be found. He dates back to the period when colleges began to depend upon millionaire philanthropists for their support In approaching a Highbrow a def- erential manner should be assumed, and his opinion should never be dis- puted. Highbrows congregate in woman's clubs, literary societies and musical circles. Occasionally we meet a tactful High- brow: also one who is intelligent. But these, of course, are exceptions, 1949 Nix on the Slang AKE it from us, kid, there's no nourishment in slinging this slang stuff. That's atcinch. Slang is all to the bad. It don't get you anywhere. Forget that Norwegian college pro- fessor who says that American slang is the swell talk. He's trying to put cne over on us, Either somebody's been handing him a lemon or else he's trying to con us. Listen! You can't make a hit with the tony guys unless you get a little style into your lingo. The trouble with slang is that it puts your vocabulary on the blink in a jiffy. And then, when you want to have a touch of high life and throw the lugs, you're in bad. See? Do you get us? Have some class about you and cut it. FTER a fellow has kissed a girl for the first time he wonders why he was so long coming to it. comicbooks.com