Life, 1922-01-26 · page 27 of 34
Life — January 26, 1922 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century American humor: **"Painted Lips"** critiques the fashion trend of women wearing red lipstick, mocking both the ubiquity and impracticality of cosmetics—lipstick smudges during meals, requires reapplication, and leaves evidence of kisses. **"Ha! Ha!"** is a con-artist joke: a shabby man tricks a *Life* magazine editor by submitting a "Life Line" (a pun on the magazine's name and the fortune-telling concept) consisting only of laughter—technically fulfilling the motto "A laugh in every line" while being worthless. **"Success?"** presents a philosophical meditation arguing that failure is more interesting than success because success ends ambition, whereas failure offers possibilities. The bottom panel shows a serial cartoon about a character suspended over water by vines, captioned "I could a tale unfold"—a Shakespearean reference suggesting dramatic peril ahead. The humor relies on wordplay, irony, and social observation typical of *Life*'s satirical approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
. Painted Lips HI, I’m so tired of painted lips! O I see them everywhere I go, On simple maid or hardened jade,— Red lacquer with a greasy glow. Why don’t they break tradition, now And then, and try some new designs— One blue lip, one of gold, and done On very simple Empire lines? It must seem odd, whene’er one dines, To have the soup one’s lips erase, And quite a bore, when dinner’s o’er, To put one’s lips right back in place. Were / a maid, I’d ne’er encase My lips with sticky crimson dough. For, worst of all, should suitors call, I'd hate to have my kisses show. J.D. Ha! Ha! I[E shabby man entered uneasily, T virling his hat in his hands. The editor looked at him steadily. “Well!” he barked. “Excuse me,” said the man, “you’ve offered a prize for the best Life Line?” “We have. ‘A laugh in every line’ is our motto.” “| can go you one better,” said the man, more confidently. Shoot!” said the editor. “I have here a Life Line,” said the man, producing a seidlitz powder paper, “which has a laugh in every word.” ery word?” echoed the editor. “Every word,” replied the man. “Ii you have, you win the prize,” said the editor. “Less see it.” The man handed over the paper. Upon it was written: “ia! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” For a fat man, the editor’s effort was creditable, but his foot struck only empty air—the shabby man was gone. Newp “By gorry! Oi’d hate to see that fall on anny wan, but if it’s goin” to fall on anny wan, there’s a lot o’ people Oi'd loike to see ut fall on.” Success S there anything more interesting than Failure, or anything duller than Success? The moment that success comes, all is over. The occupation has vanished. Ambition and will depart. One has nothing else to do but live it down. But with Failure, all things are possible! nine “T could a tale unfold——” comicbooks.com