Life, 1921-05-12 · page 26 of 36
Life — May 12, 1921 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains several brief humorous sketches satirizing everyday American life and miscellaneous social observations: **"English for Foreigners"** mocks immigrant unfamiliarity with English through a Hungarian maid who, hearing a military march at a neighborhood parade, exclaims her first learned English word: "War! War!"—a darkly ironic choice given her tragic wartime losses. **"Why Subscribers Have That Wild Look"** jokes about telephone operator confusion and the frustration of trying to reach a busy line. **"The Agony of Art"** and other brief items poke fun at everyday annoyances: high rent prices, college professors' low salaries, marital quarrels about hidden alcohol (likely referencing Prohibition-era tensions), and artistic pretension. The page also includes advertisements for *Life* magazine subscriptions and Cleveland's Hollenden hotel, plus a guidebook humor piece about awkwardly formal English phrases provided to Japanese railway travelers. The overall tone reflects *Life*'s satirical approach to middle-class American anxieties and cultural tensions of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
yf AMT SEIsseR5 English for Foreigners In a New York household there is a maid, newly arrived from Hungary, who has tragic memories of the war. She is the sole sur- vivor of her family. A few days ago there was a neighborhood celebration near her new home, one of the features being a small parade. When the band marched’ past and struck up a military air Marie sprang to the window. Like a flash she was back, exclaiming one of the very first English words she knows: “Wart War!” York Evening Post. Why Subscribers Have That Wild Look That line is bizzie, What line is bizzie? What line are you calling? —Bugalo Express. Orerrator: Sumscriper: Orrrator: a THE AGONY OF ART Tue hardest money in the world to pay is “you MUST HAVE VERE TRIALS LEARNING rent in the house you have sold, while you » YES. are waiting for some place to move. ge to foreign cents, Single ee months from date » i910 out of p are copyrighted. F House, Breams Bui nd illustrations in 1. ain apply to Live , £. C., England. Rights , Fetter Bi ATION TO THE ven Telegram —Le Journal Humor in the Guidebook Hereafter who shall say that compilers of Guide Books are lacking in the lighter touches of humor? The following appear among other useful travelers’ phrases in English, Japanese, Chinese and Russian in the Official Guide to Eastern Asia, Volume 1, as prepared by the Imperial Japanese Railway Administration: Let us go into the dining room. Will you take a little of this roast beef? Just a small slice if you please. What do you think of this champagne? Let us go into the drawing room. —Japan Advertiser (Tokyo) College Professors’ Salaries The supper table was set and Mrs. fessor was awaiting the arrival of her band. “ What can be keeping him so late she asked. Davenrer: Maybe he’s been held up. Bricut Son Well, he'll soon be here. then; that won't take long—Cornell Wi: A Hidden Supply? Wire: John, if you keep on, you'll drive me to drink, Huswann: Now, HAD MANY Mary, have you got something in the house you're hiding from ‘ews Trade Journal. NEIGHBORS.” Amusant (Paris) me ?—American } The foreign trade supplied from Live's London Office, Rolls Me Rreams Buildings, London, E. C. € a distributor, J. R. Tangy $ St. James Street, Montreal, Canada will be returned unless accompanied Live docs not hold itself responsibl Notice of to the date of issue to be effected. Hollenden” T is at The Hollenden that particular people in Cleveland naturally make their appointments for meeting friends. This habit has grown out of the convenient location and the fact that at The Hollenden you are surrounded by people of taste and refinement. THE HOLLENDEN CLEVELAND Single $3.00 to $6.00 Double $5.00 t0 $7.00 Twin Beds $6.00 0 $4.00 Are You a Tired Business Man ? Have You Ever Taken a Bath ? Do You Love Children ? What Would You Do if Someone Sent You a Puppy Dog? Would You Be Guilty of Doing a Forbidden Thing ? These are only @ of the subje treated in forthcoming Special numbers of Ye Special Offer Open only to new subscribers; no subscriptions renewed this rate. Enclosed find One Dollar (Canadian $1.20, Foreign $14 Send Live for three months—twelve issues—to 178 LIFE, One Year $3 17 West 31st Street, New York Canadian $5.80 Foreign $6.60 comicbooks.com