Life, 1921-04-14 · page 31 of 36
Life — April 14, 1921 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains humorous anecdotes and advertisements typical of early 20th-century Life magazine. **The Cartoons/Stories:** Five brief comedic pieces appear on the left, reprinted from other publications. Notable examples include: - A story about composer Mascagni encountering a street organ-grinder playing his music badly, then endorsing him as a "Pupil of Mascagni" - A joke about a nearsighted navvy (laborer) who must keep working because his boss can't see when he's not looking - A racial dialect joke about a Virginia Black man and his mule (characteristic of the era's problematic humor) **The Advertisement:** The right page features a full-page Fisk tire advertisement with an illustration of a man carrying a large tire. The tagline "Time to Re-tire?" plays on the double meaning—suggesting tire replacement while implying rest/retirement. The copy promises that a second Fisk tire will deliver satisfaction equal to the first. The page represents typical Life magazine content: reprinted humor emphasizing wit and wordplay, alongside period advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Hand-Organ Opportunist Some men never let an opportunity slip. make the most of every chance, as, for instance, a certain organ-grinder who once played his organ outside the house of Mascagni, the famous composer. Mascagni is often driven wild by hearing his music “murdered” on piano-organs, and on this occasion he left his house and interviewed the street musician, He did not send him away. He merely took the handle of the instrument, turned it around faster and quickened the time. The organ-grinder smiled his thanks. Next day he again appeared in the street. ime his organ bore a large placard, was inscribed: “Pupil of Mascagni.” —Answers (London). A Continuous Performance — First Navvy: Ye know, it’s hard lines on Joe, ‘im bein’ so short-sighted. Second Navvy: Why? Yer don’t need ht for our job! No, but ’e can't see when n_ain’t lookin’, so he has to keep on workin’ all the time. —Royal Magazine (London). Two of a Kind —“ Why don’t you get rid of that mule?” asked one Virginia darky of another. Well, yo" see, Jim,” replied the other, “[hates to give in, Ef I was to trade dat mule off he'd regyard it as a pussunal vietory. He's been tryin’ fo’ de last six weeks to get rid of me.”—Harper’s, A Delicate Question —Mrs. Tomkins: Are you satisfied with your new cook? Mrs. Stevens: I'm in doubt how to ex- press myself. If I say I'm dissatisfied she'll leave me, and if I admit that she is atreasure, the neighbors will steal her. —Answers (London). The Epithet-—Rector (giving lessons in ‘hool) There are still parts of the dj where men eat each other. What u call a man who eats another man? Boy: Greedy, sir! —London Morning Post. Routine —He: i you'll just give me ene kiss. | won't ask you for any more. She ve heard that request before. He Well, just give me your usual answer.—-Dartmouth Jack-o’-Lantern. Sure Relief 6 BeLtans Hot water Sure Relief pe Let your next tire be te Time to Re-tire? (Buy Fisk) OUR second Fisk tire will mean a repetition of the big and satisfying mileage of your first one. Sold only by dealers comicbooks.com