Life, 1918-02-07 · page 34 of 40
Life — February 7, 1918 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three humor items typical of early 20th-century American satirical magazines: **"He Knew"** mocks a nurse who corrects a child's impolite remark about a woman breaking her husband's will, only to have the child innocently suggest the comment will "please her"—implying wives commonly dominate marriages. **"Too Busy for Details"** jokes about wartime submarine counting: a naval officer explains the Admiralty can't tally submarines because divers are too busy walking the ocean floor "counting 'em"—absurdist humor about military incompetence or bureaucratic confusion. **"Flattering"** presents an anecdote where a preacher's wife attends church and a steward later whispers he's never seen such a "duffer" in the pulpit—the joke being her presence makes the sermon seem worse by contrast, though it's framed as flattery. The page also includes an advertisement for Elysmic table water emphasizing refined dining establishments. These items reflect period concerns about marriage dynamics, wartime logistics, and genteel social pretense.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Flattering A preacher, who was in the habit of taking his wife with him on his preach- ing appointments; said on arrival at the chapel in a country town: “ My dear, you go in there: you will be all right. I must go round to the vestry.” “Wuar do you think! broke his will.” “That's no news, She did it the first day she married him.” : Oh, come! Tsay! That's not very polite to us. Tommy: Never mind, nurse, put it down, It'll please her! —Ladies’ Home Journal. Too Busy for Details O1p Lavy: Why can’t the admiralty how many submarines have been Jack: Well, y’ see, mum, we h divers to walk abou © sea and count “em, spare en bottom of Canada and British Possessions, Title in U.S. Of in advance. Additional ge to foreign countries in the Postal Uni .04 a yea to Canada, nt copies, 10 cents, Rack numbers, after three months from date of publica Issues prior to roto out of 1 The text and illustrations orply to Li ter Lane, London, E. THINGS WORTH Y GOOD RESTAURANTS GQ@DD SERVICE GMD MUSIC AND SLYSM OF COURSE KING OF TABLE WATERS —Baltimore American, Lire is for sale by all_n sellers in all the, princips London Office, Rolls House, Breams Buil ‘0 contributions will be returned unless accompanied by Lire, docs not hold itself responsible for the loss or non-return of d contributions. Smith's widow In the vestibule the wife was met by a kind-hearted steward, who conducted her to a seat. At the close of the service the same kind-hearted steward gave her a hearty shake of the hand, adding how pleased he would be to sec her at the service each Sunday. Then, whispering, he said: “ But, let me tell you, we don’t get a duffer like this in the pulpit every Sunday."—Argonaut. “May I ask what is going on in the oldest inhabitant, sir,” replied the native. “She's a hundred and one to-day.” “ And tell me, pray, why docs that little man by the old lady’s side wear such a dreadfully sad countenance on such an auspicious occasion “That little man, sir, is the old lady's son-in-law. He's been keeping up her life insurance for the last thirty years.” t Britain and may be obtained f id. The foreign trade supplied gs, London, le cities in th ‘stamped and addresse change of address should reach this office ten days prior to the date cto be affect “Tike! 1 KNEW IF 1 VENTUKED OUT IN THAT BLIZZARD TO-DAY I'D WAVE CHILBLAINS!" comicbooks