Life, 1920-05-06 · page 40 of 56
Life — May 6, 1920 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mixes satirical humor with period advertising typical of early 20th-century Life magazine. **"Not Wanted"** satirizes nouveau riche social climbing. The Smith-Farmans, newly wealthy from an inheritance, desperately seek entry into high society but lack social refinement. Their neighbors, the Hartts, deliver a cutting rebuke through an exaggeratedly formal reply card that matches their pretentious invitation while pointedly noting they'll "also be at home"—implying indifference. **The advertisements reflect period concerns**: Egyptian Deities cigarettes appeal to cultural sophistication; a "Sexual Knowledge" manual targets anxious young people; Allen's Foot-Ease and Cuticura promise practical relief. **The humor pieces** ("Losing Game," "Heart-Bleeding") use stock situations: marital failures and class tensions between landlords and tenants. The page illustrates Life's formula: mocking social pretension while simultaneously selling products promising self-improvement and status elevation to the same aspirational readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
EGYPTIAN DETTIES “The Utmost in Cigarettes’ Plain End or Ook Tip ae Not . Wanted Mr. Smith-Farman acquired great wealth by the death of a lative, and bis wife Ne People of culture and refinement immediately became anxious to get into | ) z 5 : we society, Her knowledge of social es \. invariably PREFER_ CDeities toms left much to be desired. : - — to any other ci Jarette, Their nearest neighbors were a very ae. ‘o) re. exclusive family, who were extremely 4 conservative regarding f ds. Mrs. Smith-Farn g “yuaint- ance of this family, sent a card as fol- lows: rand Mrs, Smith-Farman present their compliments to Mr. and Mrs. Hartt, and hope they are well, Mr dd Mrs, Smith-Farman will be at he n Wed- nesday evening at eight o'clock The family receiving it were quite equal to the occasion, however, and Mrs, Smith-Farman received the following re- ply: “Mr. and Mrs. Hartt return the com- pliments of Mr. and Mrs. Smith-Farman, and inform them that they are very well. Mr. and Mrs. Hartt are d to know that Mr. and Mrs, Smith-Farman will be A Losing Game at home on Wednesday evening at eight Ib Life with me has been a failure. o'clock, Mr. and Mrs, Hartt will also be Sue: You must have had and wasted An at home."—Tit-Bits, By Winfield Scott Hall, M.D., PbD. soiie opportunity. iD | SEX FACTS MADE PLAIN He I have spent half / at every yount mar. sod oy 3 should keow In a Pinch, use ALLEN'S FOOT-EASE. raising whiskers to conceal my . $1.00 es eae peceg bosbend and What every young bv and the other half dyeing them to ‘ostpaid R - - - ceal my Edinburgh Scotsman Site weiner roll Mt EST Keonpepion |] AMERICAN PUB. CO. 586 Winston Bidg., Philadelobs No One Need Buy Heart-Bleeding BES Woman: Alas! My poor husband is Cuticura Before He dead! | The Fervent Prayer LaxpLokp: Tam sorry. T was just c Annette was always very devost coming to raise his rent in saying a prayer on enter —Lustige Gesellschaft (Berlin) As she had been taught no spe for the occasion, and her rep known to be limited, she was i tell her mother what she said. “T always pray,” she replied, Have You a Wedding Coming On? “that there mayn't be a Lit The Shah of Persia has them frequently, other —lLo people not so often. Remember Z e makes a most satisfactory wedding gift, and one that gives pleasure every week. Try a subscription yourself, too, for six months, or, Obey ‘That Im- pulse, and for a trial trip avail yourself of our Special Offer Enclosed find One Dollar (Canadian $1.13, 26). Send Lave fo ¢ months to Open only to new subscribers; no subscriptions ed at this LIFE, 17 West 31st Street, New York. Canadian $3.52 Foreign $6.05 14 Jimmy (to his little sister): av, Lute CAN'T YE UNDERSTAND? ye CaN T SWI¥ tere comicbooks.com