Life, 1921-08-18 · page 21 of 35
Life — August 18, 1921 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Section - "What a Boarding House Keeper Dreams About":** This satirizes the unrealistic fantasies of boarding house operators. The quoted statements represent impossible tenants—those who praise the coffee, pay extra voluntarily, don't complain about leaks, sing at night without objection, and allow young women to entertain male callers freely. The satire mocks how landlords dream of ideal, compliant renters while reality delivers demanding, troublesome ones. **Middle Cartoon - "Little Larry's Idea of Hell":** A child's drawing depicts hell as a giant Castor Oil container filled with people. This jokes about children's universal hatred of castor oil, a common (foul-tasting) laxative administered to kids in this era. The satire equates the punishment of hell with being force-fed medicine. **Bottom Cartoon:** A father scolds his daughter for wearing revealing clothing, calling her "a mere stripling" (a thin, young person). This satirizes parental anxiety about 1920s fashion trends showing more skin—a moral panic of the era about loosening dress codes and youth behavior.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
August 18 What a Boarding House Keeper Dreams About “J Y-UM, that’s the best cup of coffee I ever tasted!” “Ij you have a more expensive room, I'd rather take it.” “Pivase accept this ten dollars. I know I mut owe it after all the favors I’ve asked “Tye found a cheaper place around the corn: but have decided not to move.” n't you think you’re giving us too man. fancy dishes? Plain food is all we want you know.” “J iat leak in the bathroom is a mere trifle Let me fix it myself.” “(oh, no, I hardly think the room needs doin: over. You've taken such good care of everything.” “I) anyone objects to my singing, just let mse know and I’ll stop at once.” “I: I sit up late at night reading, be sure und put the charge for gas on my bill “The parlor is meant for everybody. Certainly, let the young ladies have all the \allers they want.” Little Larry’s Idea of Hell. TS ‘LUB: I saw Bill the other day and he looked like thirty cents. Dus: Which Bill? “Dollar Bill.” MART: -We hear a lot about the Irish question, but can you tell me the Irish answer? Matoney: Shure; a brick. SWAG Father: The idea of a girl your age going out as scantily dressed as that! Why, you're a mere stripling. comicbooks.com