Life, 1920-12-02 · page 84 of 97
Life — December 2, 1920 — page 84: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains several satirical short jokes reflecting early 20th-century concerns: **"Those Old Babies"** mocks wealthy suburban status-anxiety: Mrs. Jones brags about her neighbors' two motor cars as a sign of their worth, suggesting material possessions define social standing. **The voice amplifier joke** is a political jab at William Jennings Bryan, the three-time presidential candidate known for his powerful oratory. The satire implies amplifying his voice a million times would be catastrophic—a dismissive swipe at his political influence. **"Man's Seven Ages of Ambition"** parodies life's progression, progressing from childhood innocence through marriage, infidelity ("To be single again"), and criminal worries about one's children, ending with an ambiguous "To go to ?" **The closing quip** about retired Mexican bandits and politicians being equally virtuous sarcastically suggests both are morally equivalent—a cynical commentary on political corruption. The page is predominantly book advertisements and commercial art school promotions, with these jokes functioning as filler entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
COMMERCIAL ARTISTS PROPERLY TRAINED EARN $100 A WEEK UP _ “ever not COLLEGE (a Department of the er Both Company) offers If you like to jevelop your talent. Study this gractical course-~taught largest and most widely known Commercial Art Or- zation in the field with 20 years’ success~ who produced commercial drawings. n experience! greater iehly paid, y interesting prot 1y 01 4 wome: sion equally open to home study instruction. Get factehefore you ¢ ny school. Get our special OCR OFFORTUSITE = for half the cost of mailin, ate in Stamos, MEYER BOTH COLLEGE OF COMMERCIAL ART N. E. Cor. Michigan Ave. at 20th St. CHICAGO, ILL. pave 0000 “AND HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR NeW NetGH- noRs, MRS. SMITH?” “WHY, MRS, JONES, 1 MAVEN'T MAD TIME TO CALL VET; BUT I INTEND TO SOON, AS THEY KEEP TWO MOTOR CARs.” Those Old Babies RIDE: Is there any age at which children cease to be a care? Nonacenartax: I can't say. My old- est is only seventy. Sh ! TRANSMITTER has been perfected whereby the human voice can be amplified one million times. If this bit of news ever gets around to William Jennings Bryan—Heaven help us! : AY I have the next dane “Tf you can find a partner.’ PAPE’S DIAPEPSIN AIDS DIGESTION a Large 60c Cace—Drugstorer Books As Gifts Are Also Gracious Compliments THE PURPLE HEIGHTS By Marie Conway Oemler Once more this author takes the reader to one of those old, old little Southern towns steeped in tradition, romance and a very special kind of human drama. Then she trans- fers the reader to New York, to Paris, and back home again. It is a love story, clean, fine and refreshing; rich in laughter and tears, rich in a radiant and inspiriting vitality. MAC OF PLACID By T. M, Longstreth A powerful love story set in the Adirondack Mountain region. ($1.90) TURN ABOUT TALES By Alice Hegan Rice, author of “Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch”, etc, and Cale Young Rice, author of “Shadowy Thresholds,” ete. Ten excellent short stories, five by each author. ($1.90) SAMUEL LYLE CRIMI. NOLOGIST By Arthur Crabb Distinguished mystery stories with the old-time Sherlock Holmes flavor. ($1.90) IN THE HOUSE OF ANOTHER By Beatrice Mantle An_ absorbing love story set on the Pacific Coast. ($1.90) THE MIDDLE PASSAGE By L. Frank Tooker A story of the sea by a master-hand. ($1.90) At All Bookstores Published by THE CENTURY CO. (Price $2.00) ROAMING THROUGH THE WEST INDIES By Harry A. Franck Phe latest travel book by the author of Vagabond Journey Around the World,” ete. Illustrated. ($5.00) WHITE SHADOWS IN THE SOUTH SEAS By Frederick O. "Brien One of the most extraordinary travel books of the last ten years. Illustrated. ($5.00) GLIMPSES OF SOUTH AMERICA By F. A. Sherwood Brief, brilliant people and places. ($4.00) THE REIGN OF PATTI By Herman Klein character-sketches of Profusely illustrated. The ‘fascinating life-story of Adelina Patti. Illustrated. ($5.00) EMPRESS EUGENIE IN EXILE By Agnes Carey An informal, chatty narrative | giving the chief facts of the Empress’s life. Illustrated. ($4.00) 353 Fourth Avenue New York City (Send for our illustrated holiday catalogue of new books for the whole family.) Man's Seven Ages of Ambition 'O fall out of the cradle. To play with matches. Not to become a Sunday-school teacher. To win a wife. To be single again. To have progeny escape going to jail. To go to ? HERE is nobody quite so virtuous 2 a retired Mexican bandit, except pos sibly a retired politician. comicbooks.com