Life, 1919-01-16 · page 32 of 34
Life — January 16, 1919 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine presents humorous anecdotes mocking various contemporaries. The main cartoon/text feature titled "Our Foolish Contemporaries" includes: 1. **The Literate** - Booth Tarkington's anecdote about an elderly Black man claiming he "dictates" his name rather than writing it, satirizing illiteracy or pretension. 2. **The Challenge** - A domestic dispute joke about a couple arguing over who claimed "a hundred years of peace." 3. **The doughboy in Paris** - A soldier frustrated trying to learn French phrases for everyday situations, unable to communicate desire beyond guidebook phrases. These satirize American ignorance, domestic discord, and soldiers' struggles abroad. The page also contains period advertisements (Fownes gloves, Cuticura products, cigars, and a "Sexology" book), typical of early 20th-century magazine content. The satire targets foolish behavior among educated and uneducated Americans alike.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
N04 OOLISH CONTEMFO ARIES =m Lapa Literate Booth Tarkington tells of an old col- ored man who appeared as a witness be fore one of our committees. In the course of his examination these ques: tions were to the i] “What is your name?" “Calhoun Clay, sah.” “an you sign your name?” Sah?" “Task if you can write your name.” “Well, no, sah. Ah nebber writes ma name, Ah dictates it, sah.” lanta Chron The Challenge “A hundred years of peace we're Lo- ing to have. Huh!” “Who says so?” said the frail little woman at the head of the table “Yes: who said so?” said the big man at the other end of the bit of an agate voice b Doctor: I'm afraid your poor hus band is beyond help, I can hold out no hope. gettin’ at in’ to snuff out! Wire > c it to the « dearie; ‘¢ knows t —London Passing Show Anunalterable high standard of glove- making since 1777. lar conditions emphasize the as i ura if ice of quality which that name car- Leath- er, fur, silk and the Princij Shops. American art and skill have produced tie glove imported before the war. The name is alwayain the glove. ~ fWhy Bald So Young Rub Dandruff and’ Itching with Cuticura Ointment Wi S Shampoo With Caticura, Soap] ent Taleo on a bench in the Tuileries thumbed a French entedly. here book,’ he growled, * you want to say at all, It you how to say the uncle of your ris sixty-five years old, or the sister of your wife has bought a cow, or the umbrella of your nbor is in the tric, but I don't want to say nothing that kind, “What I'm after,’ said the doughboy, ‘is a book that tells you how to say “Your face is familia “t we met be- “Gee, them te irl, you sure do look o: swimmin’ suit.” "—D. Tt Worked All Right Pezzten Ixcowte-Tax Orrician: And is the separation from your husband an official one? Mesitioy Kate: I dunno about “of ANT knows is as when ‘e comes s the police and they HE to Troe with such fortitude their confinement in the belly of the wooden horse at Troy, was that Ulysses was a regular annual subscriber to Lire, and had brought with him the ich had arrived just as he was en- ering the interior of the perfidious beast, EGYPTIAN DEITIES “The Uimest in Bea PREFER Deities ang other cigar " 30¢ ‘ond Egyptian Ge sn thee All for the love of a lady” SEXOLOGY by William H. Walling, A.M., M.D. imparts in a clear, wholesome way, in one volume: Keewledge a Young Mao Sbeald lise Koewledce a Yoong Hashaed Sbesid Have Koowledge a Father Sheoid Rave. Ksewiedce a Father Sheoid legart to His Seu Medical Noowiedce a Hasbacd Sboald Have. Kaowiedge a Yours Wena Stoeld Have. Keowledre a Yeo: Wide Sb-old Have. Keowiedse » Mater Shovds Hor Knowledge a Mother Shesld Impart te Her Ducrit. Medial Keowledge a Wile Shoold Have. ct People’s Opin ind Tale of Co PHILA. PAR " ¢ FOR 65 AGARS “MADE AT KEY WEST—