Life, 1919-11-13 · page 24 of 36
Life — November 13, 1919 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of satire: **"Why" (poem by Ruth Lambert Jones):** A philosophical comparison contrasting youth's pessimism with age's forced optimism. The satire suggests youth complains life is meaningless, while age—having endured decades of disappointment—must pretend contentment to mask despair. **"Please Don't" (book review critique):** Life satirizes publisher Dodd, Mead & Co. for revealing the entire plot of a George Barr McCutcheon novel in promotional materials before readers experience it themselves. The joke: they spoil that the hero succeeds (which is obvious anyway since "all American books, by common consent, end happily"). **"Exhilarating?" (joke):** A brief pun where "Howard" notes Americans complain about their "favorite tonic," and "Jay" responds that nowadays people consume "beef, iron and whine"—a play on actual tonic ingredients versus complaining. The cartoons illustrate these pieces with period sketches showing social gatherings and a traffic cop, reinforcing Life's satirical commentary on American life, literature, and society.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"Why YOUTH proclaims the world a waste, Void of truth and happiness Youth—who revels in the taste Of life's prodigal caress. Age proclaims a joyous world, Age—who knows a vale of tears, Whose desires have been hurled ‘Gainst the millstone of drab year Youth laments—because its cheer Dares to tempt the ways of fate Age exults—lest it make clear The despair of its estate. Ruth Lambert Jones LIFE'’S Fresh Air Fund Inctusive of 1918, Lirt’s Fares Ain FUND hos been in operation thirty-two years. In tha: has expended $174.443.17 and has given a fortnight in the country 1 40.097 poor city children The Fund is supported entirely by bequests ane voluntary contributions, which are acknowledged inthis column. Previously acknowledged $15,315.38 Melpomene Repertory Co. of Denver 3.00 Wm. Huggard 5 Mrs. A.G.C. Mills “In Jesus’ Name" Raphael Pumpelly $15,341.38 Exhilarating ? OWARD: The American public is already complaining about its favorite toni Jay: Yes, nowadays it’s beef, iron THE ONLY RECORDED INSTANCE OF A MISTAKE IN THE BILL IN FAVOR OF and whine. THE CUSTOMER Please Don’t FRoM the publisher’s announcement of a doubtless excellent book by George Barr McCutcheon, we clip the following: The story of Sheridan Redpath—"'Sherry"—who wasted a large legacy, and then, homeless, penniless, deliberately set about rehabilitating himself physic- ally, mentally and morally. Almost at the outset he met Morna O'Brien—pretty, self-willed, warm- hearted—and with her loving approval as an incen- tive he defied adversity, surmounted all obstacles and finally attained that success which he well de- served. This is fair evidence that Messrs. Dodd, Mead & Co. have themselves read the book. But why give it away in this manner before the public has read it? There is rarely anything so exasperating, before one has read a book, as to have some voluble person tell the plot. eIt may be argued that the fact that this book ends happily is no secret anyway, as all American books, by YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE COP WHOSE SIGNAL YOU common consent, end happily. MISINTERPRETED comicbooks.comm