Life, 1923-01-18 · page 28 of 36
Life — January 18, 1923 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical short pieces typical of early 20th-century humor magazines: **"Literary Opinions"** mocks pretentious book discussion—a hostess praises a novel she admits she hasn't read, only the reviews. The satire targets cultural posturing among the social elite. **"Graceful Surrender"** jokes about Prohibition enforcement: a bootlegger (illegal alcohol distributor) caught by revenue officers makes a dark quip about being "among friends," implying corruption in law enforcement. **"Mercedes" cartoon** satirizes how new automobiles make people *late* despite their speed—they're so enjoyable owners linger before departing, contradicting the efficiency they promise. **"By Wire"** celebrates someone who writes elegantly formal telegrams to extract money from relatives, exploiting their emotional response to flowery language. The remaining pieces mock social pretension, failed romance, and restaurant culture. The overall theme: satirizing human vanity, hypocrisy, and the gap between appearance and reality—characteristic of Life's satirical mission in this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SCISSORS, ANT, Nyilv Olt Literary Opinions Hostess: Such a charming book! The characters so exquisitely drawn; the psychology of the heroine simply delicious, and there’s a philosophy run- ning thro’ it, a wonderful revelation of the human soul. Frienp: When you read it? Hostess: Oh, I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve read every review of “London Opinion. Graceful Surrender The bootlegger, finding himself com- pletely hemmed in and surrounded by revenue officers, stammered, “ —well—I'm glad to see I’m among To-pay we have called the Subcons: worshiped without being understood. ew York Tribun “Love is really a serious affair, “Don’t be foolish, Tom.” —Pitt Panther. ed every Thu Canada and Bri Si $5.00 a ance. Additional postag countries in the Postal Union, $1.60 a year; to Canada, 80 cents. numbers cannot be supplied. The text and illustrations in Lire are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights in Great Britain apply to Lire, Rolls House, Breams Buildings, Fetter Lane, London, E. C., England. “In the old days, when we came on foot, we were always on time for the curtain; now that we have the new Mercedes we invariably arrive half an hour too late. —Lustige Blatter (Berlin By Wire As regards elgans I think they are the most difficult things in the world to write elegantly and in good taste, I know one man who, when he is in the country, writes beautiful telegrams to is aunts in town on the least provoca- tion; as: WHAT PLEASING PROSPECT TU EVENING EYE DELIGHTED WITH DISTANT GROVES F DS MEADOWS COWS SHEE SOUL SOOTHED AWED CONTEMPLATION OF IN TE WILL YOU ‘DD ON ANOTHER TWENTY POUNDS TEMPORARILY SHORT H. And he generally gets it, too. —“Beachcomber"in London Express, The Dismissal Her Fatuer (to the hopeful suitor) : No, young man, you can’t have my daughte! don’t want a son-in-law who’s such a fool that he contemplates marrying a young woman ‘who hasn't got more sense than to inspire you with hopes of getting her. Get out! —Karikaturen (Christiania). Exonerated Diner: I have eaten much better steaks than this one. Watter (through force of habit): Not here, sir; not here. American Legion Weekly. ‘The foreign trade su ms_ Buildings, London, News Company, Ltd., seeisa Si No contributions will be returned unless addressed envelope. Lire does not hold itse! dian distributor, eet, Montreal, Canada. mpanied by stamped and responsible for the loss or ie return of unsolicited contributions, otice of change of address should reach this office two weeks prior fa: Nee date of issue to be affected. comicbooks.com