Life, 1921-05-26 · page 26 of 36
Life — May 26, 1921 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple short humor pieces typical of Life's satirical format, plus advertising. **"The Technical Touch"** mocks magazine editorial practices: an editor quotes Keats's autumn poem in summer because publications go to press four months in advance—a real constraint of pre-digital publishing that created absurd timing mismatches. **"Gentle Readers"** is a meta-joke about declining civility: old novels addressed "gentle readers," but modern readers are now "indignant citizens," so the convention is obsolete. **"The Late Depression"** plays on a husband's excuse to avoid returning to work during economic hardship, claiming doctor's orders for quiet. **"Fragments From Our Own History"** is satirical fake history, humorously falsifying Machiavelli's origins (Scotland, real name "Michael Wiley") and attributing this to Don Marquis—absurdist humor. The remaining pieces are brief joke exchanges about a railroad magnate and a Brooklyn Bridge incident. The page concludes with American Express Traveler's Cheques advertising, emphasizing how American money enables global travel and respect.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Technical Touch Eortor (surveying summer landscape): Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom friend of the maturing sun! Friexo: But, I say, that was written about autumn, n't it? Eoitor: Yes, yes, I know—but you must remember that we always go to press four months in advance !—Bystander (London). Gentle Readers “The old-fashioned novelist used to use the phrase ‘gentle reader.” “There is no use of trying to revive the custom; there are not enough gentle readers to be worth catering to. Everybody is now some kind of an indignant citizen.” —Woshington Ster. The Late Depression Husnann: The doctor has ordered me to WILL THE observe the greatest possible quiet. Trotsky: xoc Hetrsare: In that case, dear, don’t you HODY AND PAWS think it would be an ideal time to get back Lenine: weut, into business?—/.'Illustration (Paris). Aen Fragments From Our Own History of the World Machiavelli was born in Scotland although he did not like to have it known, and his real name was Michael Wiley. He told one of his confidential secretaries, who made a note of it in a diary that was recently dis covered at Florence: “I left Scotland be. cause of my original fiscal ideas. It was my theory that money was designed as a circulating medium; but no one else in Sect land had the same notion. . —Don Marquis, in New York Sun, Eats ‘Em Alive RattroaD Kino: What do you think [ need, doctor, to set me up again? Docror: Well, I think a little iron will help you. Rartroan Kine: Good! 1 gobbled up a whole railroad system last week. —Homeopathic Recorder, :RAL policemen ran to stop BEAR AWAKE? s the account of the young New \¢ AUSE FOR ALARM. 's daring leap off Brooklyn bridge. Most of ARE TIED SOLIDL them, no doubt, yelling, “Get down of VES (BUT $0248 WE there 1" Which he did. ABLE TO TIE UP ITS K “ wratns.—Karikaturen (Christiania). —Kansas City Ster Lire is published every Thursday. simultaneously in the United States, Great Britain, Canada and British Possessions. Title registered in U. Patent Office. $5.00 a year in advance. Additional postage to foreign countries in the Postal Union, $1.60 a year; to Canada, ¥o cents, Single current copies, 15 cents. Back numbers, after three months from date of publication, 25 cents. Issues prior to 1910 out of print The text and illustrations in Ltve are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights in Great Britain apply to lave, Rolls House, Breams Buildings, Fetter Lane, London, E. C., England, The foreign trade supplied from Live's London Office, Rolls Mo - Canadian distributor, J, R, Tang Montscal, Canada. will be returned unless accompanied by Live does not hold itself responsible for th non-return of unsolicited contributions, Notice of change of address should reach this office two wee to the date of issue to be affected. The Sky-Blue Passport With only the sky as the limit of its visé field Money IS THE GREATEST of all passports. THE AMERICAN TRAVELER is known by the color of his money. If it is sky-blue and bears the name of the American Express Company across its face he is recognized instantly as one who knows how to travel; and he is treated accordingly. THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS traveling in distant lands have been amazed at the seeming magic of the sky-blue American Express Travelers Cheques —Worthless Pieces of Paper until counter-signed by the owner—and then commanding instant rec- ognition, and immediate acceptance. BUT THERE IS NO MAGIC about these simple sky- blue slips. For 30 years they have meant the reputation and the service, as well as the money, of the American Express Company — with its many offices and thousands of correspondents in the great seaports and inland cities of the world. IN ENGLAND AND FRANCE carry English 5 and 10 & Sterling, and French 200 or 400 Franc Cheques. Dollar cheques for the Orient, North and South America and all other journeys. Buy them at Banks or Express Offices, FOR ALL JOURNEYS secure your steamship tickets, hotel reservations and itineraries; or plan your cruise or tour through the American Express Travel Department. American Express Company 65 Broadway, New York City When You Have the Blues Read Ve From deepest indigo the circumambient atmosphere will soon fade to its normal azure hue, and cheer- fulness will prevail. Send in a six months’ subscription, or, Obey That Impulse, and for a trial trip, avail yourself of our Special Offer Enclosed find One Dollar (Canadian $1.20, Foreign $1.40). Send Live for three months—twelve issues—to Open only to new subscribers; no subscriptions renewed at this rate. LIFE, 17 West 31st Street, New York. One Year $3 Canadian $5.80 Foreign $6.60 4a comicbooks.com