Life, 1920-04-22 · page 34 of 44
Life — April 22, 1920 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Life magazine contains several satirical humor pieces typical of early 20th-century American comedy: **"A Wink's as Good as a Nod"** presents working-class British dialect humor about a mill worker whose supervisor winks at his wife. The joke plays on the phrase "a wink's as good as a nod"—she interprets the wink as flirtation, her husband tells her to wink back, and the punchline suggests this will earn her another loom (more work). **Other brief jokes** mock social pretension ("Might Have Known It"), domestic situations, and character types common to the era. The **Egyptian Deities cigarette ad** uses Egyptian imagery and claims cultural superiority to sell tobacco—reflecting period advertising that casually appropriated foreign imagery. **Cuticura ad** targets young women's insecurities about skin appearance. The **Life magazine subscription pitch** at bottom uses humor ("cultivate your sense of humor") as a marketing tool, positioning the publication as essential reading. Overall, the page reflects early 1900s humor: working-class stereotypes, gender dynamics, and advertising that would seem dated today.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OR ARIES | EGYPTIAN ln — ~The Utmost in Cigaretes A Wink’s as Good as a Nod : S Fad or Cork Tip Two women weavers were married on ind cach had dec A her tion of not returning to mill life their husbands thought different, and brides were back on their three grand idea. Go home one evening, she began to cry ind her husband asked the reason. She refused to say. He insisted, and she said r } “It's yon o'erlooker. He keeps wink | People of culture and in’ at me ; j | j : refinement invariably Wha cried the husband. “ Wink ° « S in’ at thee 2 Thee stop a-whoam, lass PREFER Deities Aw con keep thee.” to any other cigarette Mary explained the wheeze to her friend Sarah, who tried it on with her husband. | Makers of the The brute replied: “Oh, is that a’? and Egyptian Well, lass, thee wink back. an’ he'll gi i dataaataaicinicens eeeerreeer es thee another loom! "—Bliyhty Pinch, use ALLEN'S FOOT-EASE © * Not in Her Set | Girls! - Girls!! Might Have Ki It Tite Mistwess' (to new maid): I'm . “ How did Blank, the rich architect sorry you can't get on with the other Clear Your Skin In e so poor?" maids. y 5 « ite built-a house for himself.” Tur New Mai: Nobody couldn't, With Cuticura mum—frightful dull framps; not one of Eamuole cach (Scary Cfntmens Teen ae a —Boston Transer “F, Malden, Mass. Sold everretere | em been in more nor five places this year,—Sketch His Progen Psychological Coincidence “Do you play golf, Mr. Gloom?” “Do you think Mrs. Spinnix cheate monthly buys outright ony stock or Do you play golf, Mr. Gloom ike t sacl Purchoser sucares o chvidonts| “No,” replied the cynic, “but [ have at the onija b Odd lots cur specialty Write for selected finally got so that I can stand to see “T wouldn't Carnes even Rites | oiler, psaple play. it without insulting cheated: rep asses Consisaiod rack Cecnaregs them."—Kansas City Star 1 "So GAOAD ST. New voRK | spelled some of its w couldn't 1h she does.” —Washingt If a faculty is not used, one loses it. Read . ye Therefore, and cultivate your sense of humor, for it will carry you over many a hard place. Try it for six months, or, Obey That Impulse, and for a trial trip, avail yourself of our Special Offer Enclosed find One Dollar (Canadian $1.13, Foreign $1.26). Send Live for three months to “Open only to new subscribers; no subscriptions renewed at this rate. LIFE, 17 West 31st Street, New York. One Year $3 Canadian $5.32 Foreign $5.04 Grocer: s poLLak’s WORT POPS, EN? DIDN'T YOUR MOTIIE! POR OTHER THINGS? “yrs, BUT We FORGOT WITAT THEY F SO WE COMPR'MISED ON LOLLIPOPS comicbooks.com