Life, 1919-02-27 · page 30 of 38
Life — February 27, 1919 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct satirical pieces typical of *Life* magazine's social commentary: **"Aut Scissors Aut Nullus" (top):** A visual pun showing a ostrich with extremely long legs labeled "HIGH AMBITION." The accompanying jokes mock working-class aspirations—particularly African American characters ("Arabella," "Aunt Mirandy") denied circus attendance due to poverty and parental indifference. **"A Hard Life":** Military humor about a soldier unable to afford dating because of financial hardship from military service. **"Prudent":** Political satire suggesting politicians routinely leave office poorer than they entered, now normalized as corrupt practice. **"Evading It":** Brief marital humor about a husband reluctant to commit to remarriage after death. The page concludes with an advertisement for a Locomobile automobile "used by the Chief of Staff of the United States Army," ironically juxtaposing luxury goods against the preceding jokes about poverty and hardship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
=SAUT SCISSORS The Biggest Show fe For about an hour Aunt Mira ing" her to take them to the circus. The big tents had just been pitched three og four blocks away, and there was gre A Hard Life excitement in the neighborhood. Y “Now, you all go on away.” com “ Arabella,” the gob softly whispered s manded Aunt Mirandy. “I votta work to her, “I am xoing to tell you some thing. I do not know just how you will to buy yo" grub an’ yo" clo’s, Ain't got receive it, hone for the best. For no time to take yo" nowheres.” some time it has been in my heart to tell “Den ask pappy to take us.” pleaded sters. you of it, but I had not the courage 2 Arabella— “Hah! Yo° pa ain't got no intrus’ ig no circus a-tall, a-tall, No, suh!" Then, “Yes, yes. go on,” the girl murmured, he added contemptuously the third finger of her left hand itching percep tes’ ambition for “ vs this, then: The last electric hab de delirious i 4 embles te Globe leaves here in three minutes, and if mniss it FM have to walk hack to Great : Lakes."—Great Lakes Bulletin % E Evading It : _ “Hubby, if 1 were to dic Prudent , marry again?” “Why don't you go into es?” at nis hardly “Can't atford it,” replied the cautious citizen, “lt has becom ost a cu . tum for a statesman to leave office a " were to say yes yo poorer man than when he entered it, And - like it, and to say never Fin in debt now."—IMashington Star. Net sound nice.”"—Pittsburg Lar is hed every Thursday, simulta y in the United Si Canada tr , Title registered in U.S. Patent Office is advance. Ad al postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, THE TYPE OF CAR USED BY THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE UNITED STAT ARMY Custom design by The Locomobile Company of America, Bridgeport, Cona