Life, 1920-04-29 · page 9 of 40
Life — April 29, 1920 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts two ghosts in conversation by a riverbank at sunset. A young ghost asks an old ghost why a particular fellow "always toots his horn when he goes by." The old ghost replies that this is the same man who "whistled as he went by here when he was a boy." This is a gentle, timeless joke about human consistency—a commentary on how people's habits and mannerisms persist unchanged throughout their lives. There's no specific political or social satire here; rather, it's observational humor about human nature and the passage of time, using the supernatural framing device to span decades. The page also contains poetry and a "Literary Handicaps" column discussing author challenges, plus an unrelated cartoon about a father and child.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Young Ghost Old Ghost: WHAT'S THAT FELLOW SCAKED ABOUT? HE GOES BY. A BOY. Ballade of Psychic Controls SY many dames have passed this way- Medusa, Helen, Have each controlled me for a day, Nicolette, And so has Marie Antoinette; George Sand was captivating, yet Although she spent a week with me, 1 couldn't help but chafe and fret— ! only want Eurydice. Anne Boleyn was blithe and gay, Sappho a temper’mental pet, Lithe Pocahontas, Salome, Or Betsy Ross, I'll not forget, ‘or Undine's trailing garments, wet \s seaweed frocks are apt to be No coldness to them I regret— | only want Eurydice. Hypatia gave a keen displ Of wise and witty epithet; \nd Mrs. Potiphar’s array Of charms should any ardor whet; I'm not at all an anchoret, But bother this famed galaxy That must unasked my path beset ! I only want Eurydice. Ouija, where centuries are met Through grand-aunt or affinity, Please, just this once my wish abet Ionly want Eurydice! Charlotte Becker. “OM, WHAT AN poy! WHAT You meen ur To?” “ow! wow! 1 pipy’r po NoTHIN’! sty FATHER'S 4 PROMTeITIONIST.” Mave ALWAYS TOOTS HIS HORN WHEN HE WHY, Hb’S THE SAME FELLOW THAT WHISTLED AS Hh WENT BY HEKE WHEN HE WAS Literary Handicaps 'OULDN’'T it be many authors didn’t pleasant if so Let their characters converse for hours without any identification t so that you have to turn back three pages and number off odd speeches in order to find out who's talking. Overwork the “smart” atmosphere, the suspension points and the seasonal epidemics of such words as “ gripping,” “virile,” “ intrigue,” “ gesture,” etc. Stick up a periscope every now and then, like, “Little did he think how dearly this trifling error was to cost or “She was to meet this man again, under strange circumstances.” Apply a large hunk of propaganda, like an ice bag, just where the plot ought to rush ahead. “THERE'S no dan; subway r riding in these . is there “ZT should say so. The last time I tried them I found myself in Brook- lyn.” comicbooks.com