Life, 1918-03-14 · page 32 of 40
Life — March 14, 1918 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains several short humorous anecdotes typical of early 20th-century American humor: **"A Thoughtful Host"**: A hotel clerk explains that a Bible in the guest's room serves as an escape aid during fires—a darkly comic commentary on poor hotel safety standards and the absurdity of relying on religious texts in emergencies. **"Well, After All"**: A disabled war veteran jokes that his wooden prosthetic leg allows him to hold up his sock with a tin-tack—gallows humor about post-WWI disability and making do with limitations. **"Worth His Best"**: A newlywed offers to repair the minister's gas meter without payment—satirizing both poverty and dishonesty in post-war economics. **"No Danger"**: A temperance advocate objects to christening ships with champagne; his friend counters that ships taking on water after drinking wine is itself a temperance lesson—mocking prohibition-era rhetoric. **The cartoon** (right) depicts a man reading the racing form at a café—likely commentary on gambling addiction. The advertisements emphasize fine dining and *Clysmic* mineral water as status symbols.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
:AUT SCISSORS AvT NULLus A Thoughtful Host Mr. Tompkins was obliged to stop over night at a small country hotel. He was shown to his room by the one boy the place afforded, a colored lad, 1 glad there's a rope here in case commented Mr. Tompkins, as he surveyed the room, “but what's the idea of putting a Bible in the room in such a prominent place?” “Dat am intended foh use, sab,” re plied the boy, “in case de fire am too far advanced foh yo’ to make yo’ escape, ene and The Child. “Wett, after all,” remarked Tommy, who had lost a leg at the war, “ there’: one advantage in ‘aving a wooden leg. “What's that?” asked his friend. “You can hold up yer bloomin’ sock with a tin-tack!” chuckled the hero. i aneously in the United States, Great Britain, Canada and British Possessions. Title registered in U. S. P. it Office, $5.00 a year in advance. Additional postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.04 a year; to Canada, . Single current copies, 10 cents. Back numbers, after three months from date of . Issues prior to 1910 out of print. ghted. For Reprint Rights in Great Britain tter Lane London E. C., England, THINGS WORTH WHILE GCOD RESTAURANTS G@D SERVICE GMD MUSIC AND [LysmAil -OF COURSE KING OF TABLE WATERS Worth His Best A young couple went to a minister's house to get married. After the cere. mony the bridegroom drew the clergy. man aside and said in a whisper: “I'm sorry I have no money to pay your fee, but if you'll take me down into the cellar Tl show you how to fix your gas 1 so that it won't register.” —San Francisco Argonaut, No Danger “1,” said the temperance man, “ strong. ly object to the custom of christenis ships with champa “I don't,” replied the other man, “I think there’s a temperance lesson in it.” “How can that be?” “Well, mediately after the first bot- tle of wine the ship takes to water and sticks to it ever after.” w York Globe. “Wuat are the twins called?” * Henrietta.” “Not both the same name? “Certainly not. One Henry and the other Etta.""—Boston Transcript. Lire. is for sale by all newsdealers at Britain ar in all the. principal cities in the world © fo ade supplied London Office, Rolls House, Breams Bui No contribution will be returned unless accompa y stamped and ed: cuvelope. Lire does not hold itself responsible for the loss or non-return of licited contributions. Notice of cnange of address should reach this office ten days prior to the dee issue to be affected. SHELL $H0eK