Life, 1921-07-14 · page 11 of 34
Life — July 14, 1921 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Upper Section - "The Literary Feast":** This satirizes Samuel Reade Somerville's writing about domestic violence. The text humorously quotes a laundress's reaction to his work, suggesting his stories describe women killing unfaithful husbands. The small illustration shows a domestic scene, likely depicting the violent scenario being discussed. **Lower Section - Goliath Cartoon:** This biblical parody shows Goliath surrounded by women and children, with text claiming he's "never in better shape" and expresses doubt about David's victory. The satire appears to mock either contemporary political/social figures or general attitudes about strength and power, though the specific target remains unclear from the image alone. Both pieces use exaggeration and irony for comedic effect typical of early 20th-century satirical journalism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Hwa o be, an ie, out July 14 The Literary Feast “CHE feared him, and so she loved him. She loved him, and so she hated him. She hated him, and so she killed him,” wrote Samuel Reade Somerville, whose business it was to write things like that. His laundress read it, trembling, over her wash-tubs. “ ‘And so she killed him!’ God have mercy! Them’s the things us women does when we're drove to it. He scared her so he made her think she loved him, an’ she didn’t, an’ when she found he loved another, she killed him. God have mercy! . . . My old man don’t scare me none.” His typist transcribed it from the dictaphone, and grinned to herself, “Same old stuff. She found he was unfaithful. In a passion of rage she murdered him. Yet, always, she loved him. Huh! I could write his stuff myself.” His wife read it, and threw the magazine aside, because it was to be continued from this point. ‘‘‘And so she killed him.’ Because she didn’t love him? Because he loved an- other? Humph. I wonder if she didn’t kill him because he peered into her emotions and wrote them up? I wonder . . .” He read it. “Oh, shucks!” said he. “Now I’ve got to think up something to explain that in the next instalment.” R. HIGHBROW: Franklin brought electricity down from the sky. Mr. Lowsrow: And the electric-light company is putting it back up again. Willie: Give him a wallop, Pop! him talk to you like that. Don't let Goliath (just before his scrap with David): Yez kin put me down as sayin’ I never wus in better shape in all me life, an’ they ain’t a particle o’ doubt as to the outcome. comicbooks.com