Life, 1920-04-08 · page 18 of 44
Life — April 8, 1920 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century American humor: **"Getting Jimmy Off for His Music Lesson"** depicts a mother's frustration getting her reluctant son ready for lessons. The boy makes endless excuses about his appearance and wants to delay. The satire targets both the child's universal resistance to parental authority and the era's class anxieties about proper grooming and punctuality. **"The Optimist"** (top cartoon) shows a man pointing to a burning house, suggesting the fire will "solve our servant problem"—dark humor about the servant shortage that plagued American households post-WWI. **"Going Up"** jokes about Manhattan's real-estate cycle: Native Americans sold the island for whisky 306 years ago; within six months, their descendants could buy it back at whisky prices—implying alcohol would become worthless as currency, or sarcastically suggesting American Indians' economic prospects. **Bottom cartoon** features cynical banter about a grocer who consistently overcharges customers, whom the speaker trusts *because* of this predictable dishonesty. These pieces reflect Jazz Age cynicism about modern institutions, economics, and social pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Optinist ( se house is burning): wuy, pst THIS WILL SOLVE OUK SERVANT PROBLEM Getting Jimmy Off for His Music Lesson AAW: nether not yet Just femme stay ont a ttle longer just five minutes. Just ove minute? Aw, gee! Get ready Why, ain't | all right ¢ his way?) Why not? Aw, gosh, not my shirt!! Yes. 1 sce those edges on the cuffs, but I can keep my coat sleeves down over them Gee whiz, you're pertickler! Why do you have to see my shoes? 1 did black them, just yesterday Yes, I'm all done washing; no, | dida't hurry too much. Lemme alone—my neck’s all right! Well, Um sure J don't know why those dark places are on my hands, when I just washed them. Ouch! Don't brush my hair so hard! Well, the place that sticks up is right over that bump, so that’s why I couldn't brush it there. No, 1 haven't done my nails yet; Twas just getting ready to, when you made me wash my hands again I don't need anything. Well, then, just a sweater, not my overcoat. Aw, gee! No, I don't know where my gloves are; I don't need them, anyhow. Gosh, not my rubbers! Aw, mother! The mud isn't very deep, and it takes vut a year to put the darn things on. Gee whiz! Well, g’bye! Yes, 1] am hurrying. Well, Um gonna start right off, soon as I speak to Bill a minute; he's right up at rner, and he might be going my way. Aw, why not? I, slong! (Departs, with the hing and smile that cancel all his sins, and a great peace settles upon the household.) “Going Up” MITH: Do you realize that we are beholding the com- pletion of a great cycle in history? Jones: Explain Three hundred and six years ago the island of Man hattan was bought from the Indians for six quarts of whisky “Well?” *Well?—Within six months, mayhe. the descendants of those Indians will be able to buy it hack for the same price.” 2 My P.& R. By Our Inspirational Expert Ns is ever really accom plished without preparation revision, Those who have achieved a reputation in any direction will aly he found expert in these two yx lars, The noted wit anticipates bef: hand the interviews he has and study his replies. The same principle is tr of him as of the great general- put themselves in the place of t hy means of imagination ai ation arrive at what he will and de under all circumstances. ‘Th re thus prepared, Meeting emergencies but previous preparation. Where the result is not perfect, the w man revises for the next occasion, [er jection, in short, is never approached | through a large series of experiments—dir in each case to preparation and revision No Chance TLL: 1 hear that Jones always saves the Christina presents people give him and gives them hack the fol lowing year Pi: Thope he does that tome. I gave him a quart brandy in 1018 “DO YOU ALWAYS DO YOUR MARKETING HERR?” “VES, I'VE DEALT WITH THESE PEOPLE FOR MUCH NICER TO BE ROBBED BY SOMEONE YEARS. 17'S YoU KNOW comicbooks.com