Life, 1919-02-20 · page 30 of 34
Life — February 20, 1919 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century American humor magazines: **"Military Precision"** depicts a Black drill sergeant using stereotypical dialect, instructing colored soldiers. The humor relies on racist caricature common to the era—mocking Black vernacular speech patterns. **"Greek Meets Greek"** is a brief anecdote about diplomatic theft: a minister's watch is stolen by another minister at a dinner. The "joke" plays on the classical phrase "when Greek meets Greek," suggesting mutual cunning among diplomats who simply steal from each other. **"Carried Too Far"** mocks someone who took insomnia advice literally—counting sheep became so obsessive he actually bought and shipped thousands of sheep, turning a mental exercise into chaos. **"A Troubled Conscience"** (cartoon, right) shows Santa or a winter figure accosted by an angry child claiming he was hit with a snowball. The satire suggests adults using children's winter games as excuses for misbehavior. The page also includes hotel advertising. The racial caricature reflects deeply offensive but period-typical editorial standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
< vain SCISSORS =} Aut NULLus Re Military Precision A negro drill sergeant’ was a squad of colored “ rookies He said: ddressing nder him, “T wants you niggers to un- derstan’ dat you is to car'y out all o'ders giben on de risin’ reflection ob de final word ob comman’, Now when we’s pass- in’ dat reviewin’ star, at de comman’ tyes right!" ger’s eyeballs click said the visitor, all die once.” at's phwatt bothers me," re “If Oi could d dozen times Oi wouldn't mind it.” the very sick man. half a I wants to hear ever’ nig- —Globe and Anchor. “we plied Boston Transcript Mrs. Picxert (apropos of nothing in particular) : win was right. Mr. Prexett (startled) : What have I done now? —Buffalo Express. Lire is published every Thur; ° and British Title regis! in advance. Additional postage to £ c to Canada, 52 cents. c from date of publication, 2 The tert and illustra Breams Buils Great cats! Sometimes I think that Dar- “THATS THE UN'S WORK, AMELIA, TELL SOME OF THEM DOUNTIN’ THOMASES BACK IN DEEP CREEK THAT YOU SEEN IT EN PARIS WITH YOUR OWN EYES.” AN’ YOU CAN tancously in the U red in U.S. ntries in . 10 cents 3 prior to in Lure are copyrigh ngs, F PREFERRED ATURED service, faultless cuisine, distinguished _ patronage, an atmosphere of refine- ment, and thoroughly modern facilities make The Hollenden Cleve- land's’ preferred hotel. EUROPEAN PLAN WITH BATH: Greek Meets Greek Ata dinner given by the Prime Minis. ter of a little kingdom which nameless a distinguished diplc plained to his host that the Minister of Justice, who had been sitting on his let, had stolen his watch, “Ah, he shouldn't said the Pri have done that," ne Minister, in tones of an noyance; “1 will get it back for y Sure enough, towards the er evening the watch was return owner. “And what did he say?” asked the tioned the host him. “He that I've got it back.”"—Tit Bits Caried Too Far “ Did you try the simple plan ing sheep for your insomnia? “Yes, doctor, but [ made a mess counted ten thousand sheep, p count. the train, and. shipped ‘em to And when I'd got through coun money I got for them at present was time to get up."—Farm x 0, aye Ro, mesa YOU HIT MY HAT WITH A SNOW-BALL ! f dec gains! A TROUBLED CONSCIENCE