Life, 1918-11-14 · page 32 of 34
Life — November 14, 1918 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page consists primarily of **advertising and humor columns** rather than political satire. **Main Content:** The page features three humorous anecdotes: 1. **"His Big Chance"** — A conjurer's stage trick where he invites a woman into a magic cabinet promising she'll disappear. The joke relies on innuendo about the woman being eager to vanish. 2. **"Was Fifty Thousand Short"** — A bank manager describes a missing cashier to a detective, unable to provide physical description but noting the embezzlement amount—a play on misplaced priorities. 3. **"Disinterested"** — A conductor demands payment for an underage boy; the mother agrees to let him be thrown off the train, revealing she doesn't know whose child he is—dark humor about parental indifference. **Advertising dominates the page**, featuring Taylor Compasses (marketed to soldiers/campers), Egyptian Deities cigarettes, a Prophylactic toothbrush, and a Cerbyite compass. The ads appear contemporary to WWI era based on military references. The humor is gentle, domestic, and class-conscious rather than overtly political.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
His Big Chane: ; Se He was a professional cot jurer, “ z : Ro le of culture i an “Now, ladies and gentlemen,” he said, ee mcr with a wave of the hand, “this is the Ze ‘ : ment invaria miagic cabinet, I invite any’ lady in’ the Z d pe as PREFER. Deities audience to enter this cabinet, I will t : } t0 any other cigarette then close the door, and when it shall be Rog f® as Xd - opened again the lady will have disap- \ \ $ : + 8O¢ peared, leaving no trac There was an impressive silence until a little, undersized man in the second row turned to an enormous woman, who and breathed eagerly : ar, won't you oblige the London Tit-Bits. Was Fifty Thousand Short Tt often hapy Absconding cashiers are by no means a new invention, and so the manager of the Doughnut Bank thought he had better get a detective on the job, and make his cashier run for his money. Of course, the detective wanted particulars “Will you furnish me with a descrip- tion of the missing cashier?” he said. swered the manager testily. “What wor- “For instance, how tall was he?” | ries me is that he was fifty thousand dol. “I don’t know how tall he was,” an- lars short2’-—Chicago " M Yr. Newsdealer owe Cn Taylor Compasses If you are not at the preset fie for Americans 18 to 45 time getting enough copies 4 ile MN “a0 5 when he leaves for camp to be trained and made fit to LIFE so as not to be sold outs we fight, give him a Zr Quality Compass—the safest guide Friday or Saturday of each weel 2: in unfamiliar places. . Or, if Lire is of reaching ya Dark nights and cloudy days hold no terror for the — ae soldier separated from his company or alone in No Man's intimetobeonsale each Tuesda Land—if he has a &r Compass. Its friendly “hand unerringly gives him sense of direction and enables him ; . to make his own lines. Won't you please advise us Most Dealers Sell This Complete Line of Iter Quality Compasses the facts, stating the name of s News Company from who aee ? |} you get your supply? Prices in the far west and Canada proportionately higher Ask Your Jeweler, Druggist, Hardware or Optical Goods Dealer If he cannot supply you or will, not order for you, “something just as good"; but write direct Deseriptive folder mailed on request Taylor Instrument Companies, Kochester, N. Y. Disinterested Here is an old kernel in a new shell: “T shall have to ask you for 2 tid for that boy, ma'am,” insisted a 8] ductor, speaking to a quiet-looking litt] woman, The woman declined to pay. You'll pay for that boy, or I'll af the train and put him off,” he pe I “All right; put him off.” she said. Aciean tertic S “You ought to know the rules. He Brush ‘Pro-phy old is that boy?” “T don't know. I never saw him b fore."—Christian Register. comicbooks.com BOOK—"The Compass, Siga ; Post of the World” 0c * Manufacturers of free Thermometers, Barometers, Ete, Ete.