Life, 1921-09-01 · page 28 of 35
Life — September 1, 1921 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine presents six brief humorous anecdotes typical of the publication's satirical style: **The jokes target everyday social absurdities:** - "The Casual Mother" mocks maternal indifference—a mother so unconcerned about her daughter's marriage she didn't even ask the groom's name - "Safest Plan" is dark humor: a condemned man's last wish is to learn Chinese; when asked his final request, he chooses something impossible - "Not Their Year" criticizes cynical 1921 business slogans promising reward to "fighters" while ignoring wounded WWI veterans in hospitals - "First Lesson" depicts a Scottish child learning only obedience formulas on his first school day - "All Conveniences" satirizes rural inn proprietors' indifference to broken amenities - "Superstition" presents a crowded table with thirteen diners The page also includes period advertisements for Shawknit hosiery and a subscription offer for *Life* itself, using the wartime phrase "Pack Up Your Troubles" as a sales hook. This reflects *Life*'s position as accessible, irreverent commentary on middle-class life and contemporary events.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Casual Mother How is this for the. casual mother? The other day a friend of the family met her and re- marked, “I hear your daughter is Not Their Year “1921 will reward fighters” is a business slogan. It doesn’t refer to maimed doughboys: who are lying in hospitals—Canton Repository. First Lesson A little Scotch laddie, wee Willie Macgregor, returned home after his first day at school. married. What is her new name?” “I can’t tell you,” re- plied mother with a shrug. “I was so annoyed when she told me she was married, I didn’t even ask who the man was!” —Bulletin (Sydney). Safest Plan “Robert! Robert! Here’s an- other car rounding the corner. How shall I steer?” “Try to hit it, mother; try to hit it!’—Boston Transcript. Respite Warven: What is your last wish? ConpEMNED Maw: I want to learn how to speak Chinese. he Journal Amusant (Paris). “Good heavens! When his father came back from work that evening he asked the young scholar what he had learned. “T learned to say, ‘Yes, ma'am,’ and ‘No, sir,’ to me mither and feyther,” replied the boy. : “Did you indeed!’ said the fa- ther. “Aye!” responded Willie. —Pearson’s Weekly (London). “All Conveniences” Scene—Remote Country Inn. Maw (calling through door): ’Ere’s your water, sir; and your basin’s cracked, so would you mind washing in the bucket and being quick, ’cause they wants it There are thirteen of us!” back in the stable again! —Le Rire (Paris). —London Mail. Superstition 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 ties ccuntries in the Postal Union, $1.60 a year; to Canada, 80 cents. current copies, 15 cents, Back numbers, after three months from date ublication, 25 cents. Issues prior to 1910 out of print. The text and illustrations in Lire are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights in Great Britain, B,C baal to pas Rolls House, Breams Buildings, Fetter ay Lane, London, gland. Single The foreign trade supplied from Lire’s Tendon Office, Rolls. House, Breams Buildings. London, Canadian distributor, J. R. Tanguay, 386-388 St. James Street, Montreal, Canada. ll be returned unless accompanied by stamped and addressed env Lire does not hold itself responsible for the loss or nen-return of unsolicited contributions. Notice of change of address should reach this office two weeks prior to the date of issue to be affected. W want you to buy the first pair of Shawknit Hosiery. You yourself will want to buy the succeeding pairs, if our efforts to please you prove successful. And for more than forty years now we have pleased particular people. SHAW STOCKING CO. Lowell. Mass. HOSIERY, for MEN Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile! Read Life and you will do this anyway. A sure laugh in every issue of LiFe. Try it for six months, 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 Lire for three months—twelve issues—to Open only to new subscribers; no subscriptions renewed at this rate. LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York One Year $5 *Canadian $5.80 Foreign $6.60 53 comicbooks.com nT ‘_————