Life, 1921-03-17 · page 34 of 40
Life — March 17, 1921 — page 34: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising and humor page** from Life magazine, mixing comic anecdotes with product ads. The **satirical content** includes: - **"The Customer-at-Large"**: Mocks retail service complaints—a woman frustrated by slow department store clerks complains about long waits, then asks for subway directions, highlighting absurd customer expectations. - **"Keeping Calm"**: Edgar A. Guest's poem satirizes moral panic over leisure activities. It mocks religious reformers ("The Sabbath gang") trying to ban Sunday motor drives and kissing, suggesting their attempts at social control are futile and ridiculous. - **"Civic Pride"**: A newspaper editor boasts their city's bank robberies involved "the most noted crooks in the country"—absurdly treating criminal notoriety as a source of civic distinction. The remaining content is straightforward **advertising** for Bellans indigestion remedy, Old Town Canoes, Continental and Commercial Banks, and Prophylactic toothbrushes—typical period commercial messaging.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OUR_ F LIS TEM (ome) bil .¥ CON PORARIES 7 _=— a The Customer-at-Large The woman in the crowded downtown department store wore a very irritated ex- pression on her face. “T've been waiting such a long time,” she complained to one of the clerks. “Sorry, madam,” he said, “but we must take our customers as they come.” “Wretched service!" the woman was heard to mutter. “Now, what is it, madam?” the clerk asked, returning to her. “Could you tell me how to get to the nearest Broadway subway station?” she asked.—New York Sun, The Fly in the Ointment From the Macedonian correspondence, Dansville (Ark.) Democrat: The candy breaking at Sid Noblets was . except his house fell down.” Reversed Version Go east, young bandit! —Columbus (Ohio) State Journal. Sure Relief 6 BeLtans Hot water Sure Relief Keep you moving abead. Vigorous ones give you s burst of speed that can’t be beaten, For an “Old Town" is the lightest, fastest, steadiest canoe you ever paddled. “The built-tn strength of an “Old Town Canoe"? Kes It last for years. Send for catalog, ‘There eances in stock. $67 up from dealer or OLD TOWN CANOE COMPANY 1133 Middle St., Old Town, Maine, U. S. A. Se oH Business Around These Banks HHICAGO is the center of the country’s eae activity. Various an of the nation. As varied as are this city’s activities so are the services of The. Continental and Commercial Banks We invite you to communicate or consult with us on all =| ' matters of commercial and foreign banking, savings, trusts, investment securities, trade information, indis- pensable are hercontributions to the wealth and enterprise Revolves The CONTINENTAL and | COMMERCIAL BANKS CHICAGO | Invested Capital over 55 Mitlion Dollars : STMT | Keeping Calm I have my share of grief and care, Beyond the slightest doubt: I have enough of dreadful stuff Each day to fret about. So when I see prepared for me A line of stuff like this: “The Sabbath gang now want to hang The man who steals a kiss! They'd kill the joy of man and boy, Who'd spend the Sabbath day By motoring where song birds sing, And put all fun away!" I do not fret and get upset, And let that frighten me; Let others storm—that's one reform That's never going to be! —Edgar A. Guest, in Detroit Free Press. Father's. Endorsement Wire: That new nurse of ours must be a Bowery product. She speaks of the nurs- ery as the “noisery.” Hue: Well, I rather think that's the way it should be pronounced. —Boston Transcript. story that this was the most sensational rc bery we've ever had here,” said the city wasn't it?" asked the new re- porter, “Certainly not, Why, our banks have been robbed by some of the most noted crooks in the country.” —Birmingham Age-Herald. | Procedure “Let's see, whom were we discussing?” “T forget! Who went out of the dressing room last? ""—London Mail. comicbooks.com