Life, 1916-11-02 · page 14 of 46
Life — November 2, 1916 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains two satirical pieces: **"The Morning Cold Plunge"** is a humorous poem-illustration showing a man on horseback overlooking someone struggling in cold water. The list catalogs the miseries of morning routines—cold beds, difficult wake-ups, shaving, bathing—presented as a relatable complaint about daily discomfort. **"Watch Your Pep"** is a brief social commentary warning against losing energy and vitality. "Pep" was period slang for vigor. The text warns against laziness, weak associations, and self-indulgence, suggesting that maintaining one's drive requires discipline and careful habits. The bottom cartoon labeled "All open and above board" appears to show people at a dining table, likely satirizing some social or political hypocrisy about transparency. The page ends with "Man is mortgaged up to his neck in the Past"—a philosophical observation about how history constrains present life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Morning Cold Plunge HE warm, cosy bed. The turn over, The desperate mental struggle to over- come the will power. The sudden resolution to get up. The wild leap out of bed. The gooseflesh on the back. The turn of the faucet. The fatal rubber plug. The look of the inflowing water. The hasty shave. The missing towel, The trip to the linen closet. The return. The singing bath tub. The deadly sponge. The long bending over. The manly sprinkle on the neck and shoulders. The shudder. The retreat. The return. The horrible plunge. The brisk rubbing. The discordant song. The returned ego. The proud boast that it is second na- ture now. HE night life of New York resides in a cellar in winter and on a roof in summer. It is consequently never on the level. They Are Thankful for— RMANY—Zeppelins, Kultur and U-boats. France—Joffre. Belgium—The United States. Austria-Hungary—Germany. Turkey—The Dardanelles. Great Britain—The English Channel. HIS WIFE IS PRESIDING AT A SUFFRAGE MEETING, HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER 1S AQUA- PLANING, HIS SECOND IS TAKING HER BOXING LESSON AND THIS IS HIS YOUNGEST Watch Your Pep EP is a slang word invented to convey the idea of those who are always up and about, who are full of “ ginger,” who never go to sleep at the switch. When you are full of pep you can go a long way toward doing almost any- thing. But pep runs out. If your stomach goes back on you because you don’t know how to take care of it; if you consort with weak-minded people, taking on the color of their weak-mindedness; if you burn the candle at both ends, then your pep runs low, Watch your pep. M‘* is mortgaged up to his neck in the Past. “ All open and above board” comicbooks.com