Life, 1916-05-18 · page 19 of 48
Life — May 18, 1916 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon**: A child asks a grandfather whether to call the Civil War a "war." The satire mocks adults who euphemistically avoid naming historical conflicts—here, the grandfather and child both read newspapers about the subject while apparently dodging direct discussion of it. It's commentary on evasive language around serious national trauma. **"The Musicale"**: A satirical list mocking pretentious concert-goers. It catalogs the absurdities of classical music performances: people who don't understand music but pretend to, bored elderly attendees, the tedious introductory speech, fake praise, and the relief when it ends. The reference to "Raffelonsky" and "Appendicitis" appears to mock obscure or absurd modernist composition. **"Quite Familiar"**: A brief comic dialogue where a young woman and older party member flirtatiously exchange compliments about each other's "subtle touch of genius"—innuendo that becomes awkward. The title suggests this is a tired, predictable social interaction better left unspoken. All three pieces target social pretension and uncomfortable truths people avoid addressing directly.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Precocious Youth: GRANDFATHER, WOULD YOU CALL THE LATE AFFAIR BETWEEN THE NORTH AND SOUTH A WAR? The Musicale HE queer looking crowd. The end of the Intermezzo The people who know nothing The exclamations of mock praise. about music. The sighs of relief. The others who think they do. The second spasm The old women who ought to be in bed. The original selection. The men with the trick clothes The meaningless din The tiresome delay The look for the door. The introductory speech which you The graceful exit sleep through The hat and coat. Raffelonsky! The deaf and dumb asylum. The long-haired, unshaven genius The Intermezzo. from “ Appendicitis.” . +: The wailing sounds. Quite Familiar The woman who sobs. OUNG THING: Then you, too, The man who snores have felt the subtle touch of his The child who cries genius. WS) seates | Goer The people who applaud at the wrong Oto Party: Oh, yes—and also the ws time. subtle genius of his touch. THINGS THAT WERE BETTER LEFT UNSAID {wa You (MARRY wer comicbooks.com