Life, 1920-11-25 · page 38 of 45
Life — November 25, 1920 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising and humor page** from Life magazine, circa 1920s. The main content includes: **"Our Foolish Contemporaries"** — A humor section featuring brief satirical anecdotes. The featured story mocks bootblacks on Tremont Street: one boy subtly undermines his rival by suggesting customers get a "shine" after the competitor finishes, implying the work was inadequate. A second joke about Greenwich Village mocks the pretentious pronunciation ("Grenitch") and affected speech of Village residents, then plays on a customer's malapropism ("ham samitch"). **Advertisements** dominate: Bayer Aspirin, Egyptian Deities cigarettes, Allen's Foot-Ease, Dean's Mentholated Cough Drops, and the Princess Hotel Bermuda. **Poetry section** titled "Yearnings and Memories" — nostalgic verses about missing pre-Prohibition barroom culture, including its crude humor and casual deceptions. The page's satire targets: working-class competitiveness, Greenwich Village affectation, and (implicitly) post-Prohibition longing for old tavern life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FOOLISH The Subtle Insult “Two young bootblacks, whose stands are close together on Tremont Street, quarreled the other day,” said a clever paragrapher in Wroe's Writings. “‘1N get even wit’ that guy yet,’ vowed the smaller of the two. in’ to fight him, are yer, Jimmie?’ he was asked. “Naw, said Jimmie, ‘but when he gets troo polishin’ a gent, I'm goin’ to say ter that gent, soon’s he steps off the chair, “Shine, sir? Shine?”'" —Argus (Seattle) In a Pinch, use ALLEN'S FOOT-EASE. Newcomer (in Greenwich Village): Is this place in Green-witch Village? Tue Tea-Room Pirate: Yes, but we call it Grenitch, Newcomer: Grenitch, eh? Well, gimme a ham samitch.—Williams Purple Cow. EGYPTIAN . DEITIES: The Utmost in Cig aretles” Plain End or 2k Tip Peo le of « culture and mnement invariabl, "REFER- Deities toany other cigarette. Hobs the He GENUINE ASPIRIN Name ‘‘Bayer’’ identifies genuine ai introduced to physicians in Insist on unbroken packages BAYER-TABLETS of ASPIRIN Aspiria fs the trade mark of Bayer Manctacture ot Monoucetcaciester of Salicyicacsd Ladies Let Cuticura Keep Your Skin FE and Young SeaecOivtenietva Lcberctcvia Spe fhtaioen Mass Yearnings and Memories Liquor there is—but how I miss the Bar! I miss a certain attitude of mind, Congenial, which I seek but never find Except beneath the golden trip le star Which from the brandy bottle shines afar I miss a type of jest that was designed For roaring barrooms warmed with booze, and kind— Good Gawd! how coarse and low my real tastes are! I miss an ambling, splay-foot waiters beak, Which like some red peninsula of hell Glowed through the humming barroom's smoky reek— I miss the lies T used to hear men tell Over the telephone to waiting wives— What sweet aromas had these joyous lives! —Don Marquis, in New York Sun. At Sea “What is that wiggling object off near the on?” “Don't know. Guess it must be a nervous wreck.” —Columbia Jester. Australia Speaks Vers libre, when it means dull words drib- bling at irregular intervals down a page, has no more beauty than a dictionary which has been through a sausage-machine. Sidney Bulletin Oxe has to admit that the New York Police Department has the most magnificent collection of clues in existence. —James J, Montague, in New York World. LIFE’S great Christmas number will be on sale Monday, November 29th. Price 25 cents. Cover by Maxwell Parrish. The Ideal Winter Resort PRINCESS HOTEL BERMUDA HOWE & TWOROGER, Managers Directly on the Harbor, Accommodates 400. Open Dec. 6 to May 1 Rs ed by Steamers of St. N.Y. Get the Dr on that Cots Dea: ¢ just the necessary menthol to ing easy—relieveirritation. Nose and thr use menthol asa hi Deans a compounded Instant reliel ant, safe, sure, At your nearest dealer. EAN MENTHOLATED NOT THAT IT MATTE By A. A. MILNE For the lover of good things this is one ¢ most delightful books publ'shed this 7# E. P. DUTTON & & CO. 681 1 sth Ave., comicbooks.