Life, 1924-01-24 · page 11 of 36
Life — January 24, 1924 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces: **"Time Tables: Mr. Ruffles Buys Some Socks"** is a humorous narrative following a man's tedious shopping expedition at a department store. The joke satirizes retail inefficiency—the customer navigates multiple floors, confusing elevator operators, and sales staff while attempting a simple sock purchase. The accompanying cartoon depicts an overstuffed "Theatrical Capitalist" being squeezed into a can labeled "Bulgaria," captioned "GIVE 'EM WHAT THEY WANT." This likely references post-WWI Balkan politics and capitalist exploitation. The lower cartoon shows a disheveled character labeled "Methuselah" advertising an office boy position—the humor derives from hiring someone impossibly ancient for a junior role. **"Almost Fatal"** is a brief dialogue joke about recovering from measles, with no deeper satirical intent. The page primarily uses domestic humor and political allegory typical of Life's satirical approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
_ Time Tables Mr. Ruffles Buys Some Socks OON—Mr. Rufiles decides to. step into department store to buy a pair socks. Smiles as he thinks how it would take his wife to make a simple purchase like that. Won ad. I sock department ders whether he where the fore entering the clevator against it because that is the a woman would waste her time 12:01—Gets into elevator. Is squeezed towards the rear but tries to keep his ears free in order to hear what the elevator boy says. 12:02—Is sure they couldn't be Cigars, cigarettes, baby carriages on the but that is what it and all the lat second floor, sounds like 12:03 calls Tries not to listen as the man “Corsets, kimonos, men's underwear and millinery.” e the woman standing on his foot would think it indecent of him if he did stops but doesn’t hear socks men 1 12:04—At top him curiously as Rides past several other remaining pa Socks” ner in re sengers leave car. Replies in a stern, dignified ma ry, “You jess Is told the as advertised, are on the fu: Look HERE! 1 ADVERTISED FOR AN saying socks were Recalls seeing no advertiser n the first floc but gets out th 12:08 of floor but finds Wonders their wi e nevertheless Is directed women men let them but waits to clear away 12:18—Crowd hasn't cl sinuateshimseli Reads sign and in self on arriving during progress o bargain sale Almost Fatal UNIOR: W measles, Ch Crrarney days and days to feel Sick! Why, it OFFICE BOY all well! 1 very with the after I was comicbooks.com