Life, 1923-07-26 · page 17 of 42
Life — July 26, 1923 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical humor pieces typical of early 20th-century Life magazine. **"Tardy Testimonials"** mocks a fake "correspondence course in public coughing." Testimonials praise increasingly disruptive coughing abilities—from disturbing distant theater rows to causing synchronized group coughing at symphonies and church services. The satire targets both theatrical etiquette violations (chronic audience coughing was apparently a real social problem) and the era's proliferation of dubious mail-order self-improvement courses. **The cartoon** depicts a woman on a couch complaining to her maid about candy, seemingly concerned about overeating. **"Truth as First-Aid"** presents a brief anecdote where a man admits his dinner companion was a "co-educational school friend"—a euphemistic confession implying infidelity. The joke mocks his attempt to use literal honesty as a shield while technically admitting wrongdoing. The final joke about "rare judgment" suggests such honesty is uncommon. The page satirizes social hypocrisy, consumer culture gullibility, and marital dishonesty through light humor.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mistress: Tardy Testimonials ENTLEMEN: Your correspon- dence course in public coughing has no equal. Six months or less ago, at the theatre, I got black looks as far back as H row only. Last night a man in Z row complained to the manage- ment about me.... eek Dear Sirs: When I subscribed for your course in coughing, I was un- able to do more than disturb a small home musicale. Now, thanks to you, I find that I can cause real annoyance to the audience at a symphony con- cert. And with less effort.... *** GENTLEMEN: I cannot too highly commend your lessons in coughing combined with personal magnetism. Whereas formerly I often coughed in public alone, by means of your graded instructions I can now induce others to cough with me almost at will.... Sirs: Your lesson in deep breath- ing is alone worth the price of your course. This is what it did for me. From a feeble treble which sometimes failed me utterly, I can now boast a magnificent chest cough which will outlast even a performance of “Par- sifal.” And I experience no fatigue at the end.... x ee Dear Sirs: Since applying your practical lessons in cough-concentra- tion, I am getting twice as much pleasure and profit out of church ser- vice as formerly. I used, occasionally, to forget to cough, so engrossed in the sermon did I permit myself to be- come. Now I never do. I am practi- cally automatic from offertory to benediction. ... A. H. F. E (on honeymoon at Niagara Falls): Ysn’t it wonderful, dar- ling? Sue: Yes, dearie, if you love me! SUSAN, I WISH YOU'D PUT THIS CANDY OUT OF REACH. I’M AFRAID I'LL BE ILL. Truth as First-Aid HE truth, I read, Shall set you free; And so when my wife asked If it really was an old school friend With whom I had had dinner The night before, I answered, “Yes, But you must remember, dear, That mine school.” The truth, I am forced to admit, Lived fully up to its advance notices ... Although the judge deserves some Of the credit. was a_ co-educational JLK.M. “THERE are many cures for grief, but careful nursing isn’t one of them. “DA, what is ‘rare judgment’ ?” “Any at all.” comicbooks.com