Life, 1914-07-02 · page 32 of 44
Life — July 2, 1914 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several humorous anecdotes satirizing dialect humor and social pretension, common in early 20th-century American comedy: **"Figures Lie Again"**: A Black servant named Bena claims she wears size 4 shoes but needs size 7 because size 4 "hurt me dat bad I jes' natcherly caint hardly walk." The joke mocks her illogical reasoning—she's lying about her actual shoe size to justify a request. **Boston dialect pieces**: Satirize exaggerated regional accents, particularly Boston's pronunciation of "r" sounds ("park" becomes "paaak"). **"Needless to Say"**: A father defines "redundancy of expression" using examples like "wealthy plumber" and "poor poet"—combinations that contradict themselves or add unnecessary words. **Mrs. Malaprop story**: Satirizes social climbing and malapropisms (word misuse)—the wealthy but uneducated woman says boats "flit pro and con" (backward usage). The page is primarily **advertising** (shoes, garages, liquor), with humor used to fill editorial space. The satire targets working-class dialect, regional accents, and social pretension—typical of this era's humor standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Figures Lie Again Bena was much excited over the pros- pects of a camp meeting that was about to take place in her neighborhood. For weeks she had been preparing gay and gaudy feathers for the array, and now her outfit was complete, save a pair of much-desired patent leather slippers. She approached her mistress. “Miss Ford,” she said, “I sho’ wants to git a pair o’ slippers ‘fo’ de meetin’ commences, an’ I ain't got a single cent lef" “What size do you wear, 'Bena?” asked her mistress, “Mah right numbah is 'fo,” she re- plied, “ but I has to weah sebens, ‘cause fo’s hurt me dat bad I jes’ natcherly caint hardly walk.” —Woman's Home Companion, That Boston “ Ar” “Subway to Paaak—Staaat right up fi at” If shoes are lost or come off easily your shoeing bills forware areneediessly increased. It costs no more to have “T seen Mamie the other day—you Needless to Say your shoer use know it nearly broke her haat.” Lites Witte: Pa, what's a re- *<CAPEWELL”’ OnE “Reely; why, wasn’t it him playin’ dundancy of expression? nf Lehn The best nail in the world at « guaaad ? Pa: Using more words than are fair price, not the cheapest re “Haaaat's sakes, no.” necessary to express one’s meaning, such ere Cl srech™ aul doce “Well, whoever it was, he was a as ‘wealthy plumber’, ‘poor poet’, etc.” : it pays. staaa.” —Sacred Heart Review, “Yes, them Haaavad boys all plays haaad.” Comfort Without Extravagance Hotel Woodstock, New York “Say, did you see him when he daaated right between them two Daaat- Sue was rich but uneducated and had mouth men?” a cottage for the summer at the seaside. Her one problem was how to secure as her house guest the “recognized leader of society” in her home town. The invitation was being verbally extended, and as a last inducement, Mrs. Malaprop | Genuine “Edwards.” Ready s Wi ended: oe Seed ate : i “And as you sit on the front porch factory prices— $49.50 and up. 4 it's charming to watch the little white- Fos, pends Mlomirated ot oaee, a sailed boats flit pro and con.”—Tit-Bits. |) The Edwards Mig. Co.,336-386 Eggleston Av., THE HOSPITALITY AND GOOD CHEER OF A DISCRIM- INATING HOST OR HOSTESS SHOULD INCLUDE HUNTER - QUNTER m4 BALTIMORE RYE Sold at all first-class cafe WM, LANAHAN & SON, ONE RESULT OF A BOY CELEBRATING THE FOURTIL OF JULY WITH A GIANT FIRECRACKER comichoo!