Life — August 3, 1922 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Old Bill Nickel" Cartoon Analysis The central cartoon depicts a disheveled man in a witch's hat sitting on a stump, labeled "Old Bill Nickel." The caption reads: "Our barber, Ed Flover, see he don't mind scrapin' an acquaintance if he can do it with a razor." This appears to be a visual pun playing on "nickel" (five cents) and the phrase "scraping an acquaintance"—suggesting the barber might literally scrape or harm this character for a small payment. The witch's hat suggests foolishness or bad luck. The surrounding "Life Lines" column contains typical early 20th-century satirical commentary on politics, war, labor strikes, and social issues, using humor to critique contemporary events. Without additional context about "Ed Flover" or this specific barber reference, the exact historical target remains unclear.