Life, 1921-05-05 · page 20 of 46
Life — May 5, 1921 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents multiple satirical vignettes about perspective and self-deception: **"As You Like It"**: A single subway encounter is narrated four different ways—each narrator reinterprets the same event to flatter their self-image. The subway guard sees a kindly man, the reverend believes he "saved a soul," the girl imagines romantic interest, and a criminal thinks he nearly succeeded in solicitation. The satire mocks how people construct narratives that cast themselves favorably, regardless of objective reality. **"Local Gossip"**: A humorous rural anecdote about Benny Littlefield, whose wife nags him relentlessly. He escapes to tinker with his car engine until it explodes—which he shrugs off, having been "blowed up" repeatedly by life's disappointments. **"A Matter of Taste"**: A struggling young lawyer advertises free legal aid to widows, which attracts other clients. His intimates wonder how he handles the volume; the joke implies widows won't admit they weren't actually romantically interested, preserving the fiction that *they* appealed to *him*. The page's theme: people see what they want to see, and maintain comfortable illusions about themselves.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
As You Like It HE subway guard, luxuri- ating in the substantial dinner his wife had set before him, grew loquacious, “ Funny thing to-night. Tired- lookin’ girl hangin’ on a strap, sort of pitiful, and a big feller gets up and offers his scat He stands and chins her, and when he goes to get off he tries to give her a hug. Just then a little feller sittin’ alongside butts in and says, ‘Here, don’t you try to flirt with her,’ and the girl gets mad’s hops.” The Reverend John Jeremiah Norton wrote that night inshis diary: “I saved a young girl’s soul to-day. A poor worn-out shop girl she was, whose power of resi: ce to evil was al- most gone. She was being hounded by a great brute in the subway and was evidently ready to go with him when I intervened.” The girl confided to her chum: “T met the handsomest man in the subway—just_ cas- ually, you know—and when he had to get off he tried to slip me his card, and, would you believe LOCAL GOSSIP NY LITTLEFIELD married the Widder Jason and ‘twan’t long afore she started in on him— in’ him down, in’ him Hail Columbie and ra , till folks reckoned Benny wisht he wuz back in Miss Rideout’s boardin’ house. Anyhow, he tuck to workin’ round his flivver nights, inventin’ an improvemint fer the gasoline tank, and fust thing he _knowed one night all uv a sudden it exploded Didn't hurt him none. Benny sez he's been blowed up so many times, oncet more didn't make no difference. (To be continued in our next.) it, a little shrimp sitting beside me interfered.” The man, entering his lodgings, spoke to his roommate: Not a damn thing to-night. I almost had a woman's hand- ig, but some stool pigeon gave me away.” Willie (to father trying to take a nap): On, var, FOUND A LOUDER WAY TU BLOW MY HoKN! Practica. RerorMer: Liz A Matter of Taste THe young lawyer had no practice at all. It seemed that he never would have any, Drastic measures being neces- sary, he adopted them. In his office window he dis- played a sign that commanded the attention of the most in- different passerby: “TI will aid, free of charge, any widow who appeals to me.” It was a master stroke. Old ladies, observing the steady stream of widows, chose him for their attorney bec his popularity; old gentlemen with sentimental hearts were touched by his courtesy and put their legal business in his hands; old maids liked to be scen going into his office He became well-known, pros- perous. His intimates marveled that he could handle so much busi- ness, since the widow portion of his clientele was so great. He merely smiled. And none of the widows ever betrayed him. Could any woman admit that she had not—quite—appealed to him? DEALISTIC REFORMER: What this country ne Congress composed of reformers. But could we corrupt them ? “JUST TO SETTLE AN ARGUMENT, MA, 1S THIS POISON Ivy?” comicbooks.com