Life, 1919-09-25 · page 30 of 40
Life — September 25, 1919 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects brief satirical jokes typical of Life magazine's format. The cartoons mock everyday American life: **"The Returning Empties"** jokes about Iowa's agricultural struggles—clouds are "empty" boxcars returning from failed crops, suggesting the state's farming crisis. **"General Housework"** features Irish immigrant domestic servant "Bridget," playing on period stereotypes of Irish maids as hardworking but uneducated. **The banana-peel cartoon** shows slapstick humor about urban mishaps—a common comedy trope of the era. **"Questions Asked"** includes ethnic humor about a Jewish boy rescued from drowning; the father's concern is only the lost cap, playing on period stereotypes about Jewish frugality. The page concludes with advertising for a **Locomobile touring car**, showcasing the magazine's mixed editorial-commercial format. Overall, the humor reflects early 1900s American attitudes: rural economic anxiety, immigrant servant culture, and casual ethnic stereotyping considered acceptable entertainment then.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Retuming Empties An optimistic Colorado farmer, on seeing some clouds floating by, remarked : “Well, I guess we are going to have some rain.” “Aw! said his pessimistic neighbor, an ex-railroad man, “those are just emp- ties coming back from Iowa.” —Boston Transcript, General Housework Mistress (to cook): Now, Bridget, I'm going to give a birthday party. I sincerely hope you will make yourself generally useful, Brwwcet (much flattered): Shure, mum, Of'll do my best; but (confiden tially) Oi'm so sorry Oi can't dance, mum.—Glasgow “T surrose you think I have a great many kicks?” “Not at all,” said the hotel clerk. “1 know of plenty of kicks you've never thought of."—Louisville Courier-Journal, isp “1D LIKE TO GET HOLD OF THE FELLER THAT THREW A BANANA PEEL UNDER ME!" Questions Asked A small boy of the Jewish who was playing at the end of oe fell into the sea, and was only regal after great difficulty by an intrepid svin, mer, who dived off the end of the pe and succeeded in getting the boy iat; rowboat. Half an hour afterwards, much » hausted by his effort, the rescuer wy walking off the pier when a man ay up and tapped him on the shoulder, Are you the man who saved my ge Ikey’s life?" he said. “Yes,” answered the much-exhase hero. Then,” said the Hebrew in indigne tones, “v'ere’s his cap? "—Tit-Bits The Point of View Uxmusicat Fatiter: No, we Math decided on a teacher for him yeti see, his mother wants him to be tad to sing, and I should like himiime trained not to sing.—IWindsor. “Misery loves company, you knoe? “Yes, but right now I'm not very sis erable, although I am very busy.” Detroit Free Press. x is published every Thursday, simultaneously in the United States, Great Britain Lire. is for sale by all newsdealers nd British Possessions. gistered in U.S $5.00 a yea sellers in all ‘the prin in advance. Additional post to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.04 a year; Lire’s London Offi to Canada, $2 cents. Single current copies, 10 cents. Back numbers, after three months ied ibs stamped end {rom date of publication, 25 cents. Issues prior to 1910 out of print. . or nowee c text and illustrations in Live are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights in Great Britain Noride Uf chowet of addceit- should each thle oite-len dae pote apply to Live, Rolls House, Breams Buildings, Fetter Lane, London, E. C., England. Tee eden 1 Thteortshowld teach thls ten days prior We SPECIAL LOCOMOBILE TOURING CAR With disc wheels, tonneau cowl and windshield, and unusual treatment of. top and details, Custom Design by the Locomobile Company of America, Bridgeport, Coon. comicbooks.comim