Life, 1919-10-30 · page 8 of 36
Life — October 30, 1919 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains an article titled "A Lesson" and an accompanying illustration. The article discusses a Massachusetts centenarian who attributed his longevity to smoking two to five cigars daily. The piece argues, with tongue-in-cheek irony, that the old man's health actually *disproves* smoking's benefits—his survival was despite smoking, not because of it. The illustration shows a man and woman in an elegant interior; the caption reads: "But I am different from other men—the more I kiss you, the more I want to." The woman responds: "No, you're not—you're just the same. They all say that." This satirizes romantic clichés and male flattery. The juxtaposition mocks how people rationalize questionable habits (smoking, insincere compliments) as uniquely justified in their case, paralleling the centenarian's unfounded confidence in tobacco.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Lesson t Mason in Ma celebrated his one hun« day recently. He wa ly concerning hi: accumulatin from two to five c centenarian added that he had no re that the smoking his digestion to any noticeable vile, nasty weed. At first bh the cente: jan may seem to be an ungrateful sort of + erson to go back on an old faithful friend in this manner. Sober second thought, however, will make everyone realize that the old gentleman was merely affected by peri- e gestion, he xe if one had 7 > Sever even a fraction of digestive a then one would have every reason to think hemian cooking. would have thoug ing such mean t against tobacco unles unscrupulous person put them into his h It’s a lesson to all take all attacks with not only a with an entire salt. Y father used ¢ me this advice: ways think before you speak.’ ”” “BUT LAM DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MEN—THE MORE I KISS YOU, THE MORE I WANT TO.” “But, didn’t he want “No, YOU'RE NOT—YOU’RE JUST THE SAME. THEY ALL SAY THAT.”” you to talk at all? comicbooks.comg