Life, 1912-11-14 · page 7 of 44
Life — November 14, 1912 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains two satirical pieces: **"Parblout I"** (top left): A brief humorous anecdote about a diner who ordered "ragout" (a stew) but misheard it as "rout" (a defeat). The joke plays on the homophone confusion—when the waiter serves the dish, the diner comically sees only "stout" (a strong drink) instead. **"Unsuitable"** (top right): A quip about Sue, who bought a suit for a suitor, but it didn't fit him properly. The humor derives from the pun on "suit"—both the clothing and whether something is appropriate. **The main illustration** below depicts a grand archway with horses, carriages, and crowds. The caption references "the horse" and "ribbons," suggesting this illustrates a historical or contemporary scene, though the specific reference remains unclear without additional context.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Parblout ! Unsuitable DINER once ordered ragout, UE'S swain, who is now more astuter, And thought that he'd taste something nout, Bought a suitable suit for a suitor; But he heaved a sad But the suit didn’t pay When the waiter drew nigh (Nor the swain, by the way) And he saw ‘twas nothing but stout! For Sue's suitor’s new suit didn’t suit her. The horse: AND ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS IN THERE MYSELF TAKING RIRBONS comicbooks.com