Life, 1922-05-18 · page 12 of 34
Life — May 18, 1922 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This cartoon satirizes what appears to be a public entertainment event or performance—possibly an outdoor concert or theatrical production. The large illustration shows a crowded, mixed-class audience gathered around a stage or performance area, with musicians visible (including what appears to be a guitarist in the foreground). The caption's irony suggests the performers blame their audience for being unresponsive or unappreciative, rather than acknowledging their own performance quality. The cartoon critiques mutual finger-pointing between entertainers and patrons about who bears responsibility for a lackluster event. The page also contains literary content titled "The Skeptic Afield" and a short piece called "Utility," typical of *Life* magazine's mix of satire, poetry, and social commentary from this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Skeptic Afield HE Skeptic turned over a new leaf. He. gave some flowers to a peddling woman. She was old, and her back ached. Her eyes filled as she whispered, “God bless you.” He wandered into an art gallery to see the exhibition. Before a great mas- terpiece sat an artist, drooping head in hands. Quietly he spoke to the de- jected man. “He had dark hours, too, the great master.” The bowed head lifted. The brood- ing eyes lighted. “Friend,” the artist said, “you urge me on anew. God bless you.” He walked out beyond the city streets. Under the open sky and* blazing sun some Italian laborers were mending the highway. One sang as he swung his pick ; it was something from “Trovatore.” “Bravo! Bravo!” applauded the Skeptic. “Ah, signor. the Italian. So it was in the gray city and the drab. suburb. He wandered on to open fields, green God blessa you,” said meadows and trickling streams. He breathed it in ecstatically. After all, perhaps the world was good. A little white ball came rolling over the hill. It glistened in the sun as it lay at his feet. Straggling into view came a group of men and small boys. Obviously it was their ball. The Skeptic picked it up and ran gaily to- wards them. “Here’s your ball, my good man. I found it beside a little hole on that very green spot back there.” “Blast you!” shouted the advance guard of the approaching army. “Put that ball back where you found it and get the h—I off this golf course!” The Skeptic moved on silently. was still a Skeptic. He To. Utility Jinks: What did Marjorie do with that shiftless cave-man she was en- gaged to? Binks: Jilted him, I believe, on the ground that a chap like that ought to be useful as well as elemental. May AY comes stepping down the spring Delicately. They have taken a web of the finest silk And spun the gold of her hair; They have taken the grapevine’s ten- der green And made her a robe to wear; The embroidered girdle about her waist Is the blue of her brooding eyes; And the flowing sweep of her slender grace A remembrance of willow sighs, To her breast she presses a blossomed bough As she moves toward the year’s high noon, For with solemn sweetness she goes before, Bridesmaid to the radiant June. May comes stepping down the spring Delicately. Perhaps the Audience Is Dull Sometimes, Too cilic the lost, Anc had ples is n “] I w hapy thou Im dilw \ off Don ment want and D grun used thing the wher meal 1 hat the i chan sake to pu I dor of pr size me) Mrs, For a Fora “Si break does small said, comicbooks.com