Life, 1923-04-26 · page 8 of 36
Life — April 26, 1923 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the spiritualist craze of the early 20th century. The sketch shows people conducting séances to receive "Spirit Messages" via slate pencils and telegraph wires—a popular spiritualist practice. The article mocks how spiritualists claimed famous figures like Shakespeare, Darwin, and John Milton were communicating from beyond, dictating trivial or plagiarized content. The satire targets the Directors of spiritualist movements who, despite initial success, became "really annoyed" when the messages grew embarrassingly absurd (like setting sun oil prices). The headline "Disconnecting Eternity" suggests cutting off these phony otherworldly communications. The piece ridicules both the gullibility of spiritualist believers and the charlatans exploiting them for profit.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Say, Mame, where’d you get the swell gold ring?” “At Goobel’s for two-fifty and it wears like iron.” S long as Spirit Messages were received by means of a slate- pencil imprisoned between two slates, the Western Union Telegraph Com- pany was perfectly unmoved. But when the inhabitants of the Beyond developed their technique to such a point that Spirit Messages began coming over the wires, the Directors became really annoyed. With Shakespeare, Napoleon and Chief Three-Fingers of the Wah- hoo-wah Tribe running up uncollect- able bills, the Directors felt that something must be done. “Tt isn’t as if the messages were of great scientific value,” declared the President. “Look at these: Look UNDER THE PIN- FIND ‘ELSIE: CUSHION AND YOU WILL THE LOST FIFTY CENTS. Jurius ‘Settinc Sun Oi 1s A Goop BUY ON THE Curp at 18%. Joun Mitton,’ Cassar.’ Disconnecting Eternity “Just out of curiosity, I followed John Milton’s tip myself. But Set- ting Sun Oil is no longer on thé Curb. It must be in the Gutter, if not already in the Sewer. “Gentlemen, we must immediately put a stop to this wanton use of our wires by unprincipled Spirits! Ruin stares us in the face.” The Directors put their heads to- gether and talked in, hushed tones until late into the night. The following day most surprising messages were given to the Press as emanating from prominent Spir- its. Darwin stated that his “Origi of Species” was a whimsical fantasy written to amuse the children. John Bunyan sent his blessings to the boot- leggers. Shakespeare dictated the book and lyrics for the Indecencies of 1923. The play was of such in- conceivable dullness that the public was appalled, although three distin- guished dramatic writers accused Shakespeare of plagiarism. The mediums were assailed by Spirits seeking to justify themselves The mediums were not interested, and the sitters in séances were openly bored. At night one could hear a great sound as of sobbing as the wind wailed among the telegraph wires. At midnight a week later this message was received by the Presi- dent of the Western Union: HENCEFORTH NDER THE GREAt Pusiiciry Com- ERSE CHARGES. So Ruin no longer stared the Di- rectors in the face. There are some things even Ruin cannot stand. Morris Bishop. “What are you going to give ) your son for a commencement present ’ “A job.” comicbooks.com