Life, 1920-06-17 · page 10 of 45
Life — June 17, 1920 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical children's dialogue titled "Out of the Mouth of Babes" set in a Child Writer's Nursery Club. Two young writers discuss their literary ambitions and progress. The top cartoon illustrates a father asking a child writer to go outside and watch the sunrise for inspiration—a gentle jab at sentimental writing advice. The bottom cartoon, captioned "There's a Reason," depicts a parson puzzled why golfers constantly lose balls in bushes near his property. The joke suggests golfers deliberately aim poorly to avoid the bushes, implying the parson's presence makes the area undesirable—a subtle critique of clergy or organized religion as socially unpleasant. The overall piece satirizes both pretentious children's literary circles and conventional adult hypocrisy through innocent observations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Father: etukt, WAY voN'T YOU TAKE THAT YOUNG MAN XOUND TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, SO HE CAN SER THE SUNRISE? Out of the Mouth of Babes First C. W.: I'm rather envious. You've nothing to worry — about. You've every indication of prodigiousness ever tabu- A Children’s Dialogue lated—you're microcephalic, you've got flat feet and astigma- (Scene: The lounge of the Child Writer's Nursery Club.) tism. And I think I mentioned your buck teeth— IRST CHILD WRITER: Hello, old bean! How are the SRrond GW. 2 Mes) Tiladmit Wy: back teethvarea help. By ock tect the w a Bobbie, have urea y of this two-year Srcoxn Dirro: First rate, thats. And what do you think? stuff—this Junior Watercress fellow? It’s pretty good. Wai I'm developing a lovely case of egomania Fixst C. W.: I say, you ere going to be a genius—for all your decrepit ten years. Let's sit down. (They do so.) Stconv C. W.: Well, Bobbie—doing any writing lately? First C. W.: A little. I've got that fool contract with the Tea Hound for a page of drama a month, But . . . I don't know. I'm getting old, . . . nine and a half next month. Sometimes I feel I'm through, . . . never do a decent thing again. Seconn C. W.: What! You too? Claire W. Jones told me the same thing yesterday. Poor girl— First C. W.: Poor girl, nothing! She is through. Why, she’s eleven, if she’s a day. Mawkish old maid, anyhow. Bah! Secon C. W.: I say, you are making me nervous. I'm glad I've started on my reminiscences. With those published, let the worst come. First C. W.: How are they getting along? THERE'S’ A. REASON Srcoxn C. W.: Pretty well—if I do say so. The chapter Parson: IT's VERY STRANGE THAT SO MANY GOOD GOLFERS : : INVARIABLY SLICE THEIR BALLS RIGHT HERE AND LOS® TH on the early days of my parents’ marriage will be a revelation. THOSE, BUSHES OVER THERE comicbooks.com