Life, 1920-04-29 · page 28 of 40
Life — April 29, 1920 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **three distinct satirical pieces**: 1. **Title Contest**: Life is running a competition asking readers to caption an illustration of a family group. The $800 prize pool ($500/$200/$100) reflects the magazine's engagement with its audience. 2. **"Farewell, April"**: A sentimental poem personifying April as a weeping month bidding farewell as May approaches—typical turn-of-century sentimental verse used as filler. 3. **"No Ground for Dispute"**: A joke satirizing an immigrant (Fritz, likely German) living in the Philippines who claims his wife is "the bestest voman in da vorld." The humor relies on ethnic stereotype—his broken English dialect and his answer that his wife thinks only "Nuddings" (nothing), implying she has no independent thought. The joke mocks both the husband's uncritical devotion and assumptions about women's intellectual capacity. It's gentle period comedy rather than sharp satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
"Li FE * LIFE'S Title Contest Closes Next Week Farewell, April, With Your Tears FAREWELL, April, with your tears Pray, what caused your constant grieving? You were lovely when you smiled, We remember, now you're leaving But we saw your smiles so r: y And, at last the truth appears, We are weary of your weepin Farewell, April, with your tears! Farewell, April, with your tears! True, ere long we shall forget you; When we tried to love you n Something always seemed to fret you. We are but a faithless lover, For, e’en as our parting nears We are dreaming of May’s gladness. Farewell, April, with your tears! LWITT: Gruet is a lazy fellow Jewett: Well, 1 should say sv. I asked him the other day to do mea favor, and he said All right; bring it here and I'll do it. For the Best Title to this Picture $800 will be given in Prizes First Prize . . $500. Second Prize . $200. Third Prize. . $100. To Our Readers: If you have not already sent in your title to the drawing above, please remember that the contest closes at noon on Monday, May 3rd. The conditions of Lire’s title contest will be found in this issue on page 805 No Ground for Dispute HE proprietor of a drinking place in one of the southern provinces of the Philippines married a native woman whom he pronounced the ideal wife. As Fritz dispensed his wide-awakes he informed his customers with mathematical certainty that his wife was “the bestest voman in da vorld.” No one disputed the statement nor questioned it until he told Donald MacLauchlan The Scotch in Donald wanted to know why she was. The unexpected question rather disturbed the mental processes of Fritz, but after a minute or two he answered con- fidently, “ Vat I dinks, she dinks.” Donald went a step farther and asked, “ What does she think?” “ Nuddings,” replied Fritz with the stolidity of his race. VISIONS comicbooks.com