Life, 1924-07-10 · page 12 of 36
Life — July 10, 1924 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century Life magazine: **"A Rondeau of Realities"** (poem by Richard Butler Glaenzer) celebrates a modern girl named Mary—athletic, independent, and self-possessed—contrasting her with traditional expectations of femininity. It reflects 1920s attitudes toward women's liberation. **"Why Plumbers Crow Rich"** depicts Mr. Spriggs complaining about plumbing costs. The joke illustrates class commentary: plumbers command high wages because they require skilled assistants, making the work expensive—a satire on labor economics and skilled trades' profitability. **"Scientific"** is a brief joke about Mrs. Nervely mistaking a tarantula spider for a common variety, with Professor Nervely correcting her—poking fun at amateur naturalism or women's ignorance. The page balances social commentary on modernity with lighthearted domestic humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Rondeau of Realities MERRY, candid girl is Mary; Compound of carth and breeze, both airy And self-possessed; match for a king Or hobo; game for any fling— On which, though sceming rash, she's wary. At tennis, fair; at golf, Good sport and pal; a perfect fairy On skates. Let her do everything A Mary can The Old School cults consider “stary” Her level gaze, and “ordinary” Her downright speech. Healthy the ring In her frank voice, her free-hipped swing— Stuff of the wildwood, mountain, prairie— American! Richard Butler Glaenser, Farm Note T was formerly held that a falling-off in the production of eggs by hens was inevitable in the winter. Recent ex- periments have shown that this need not be so. If the hen is kept in ignorance of the change of season she will go right on laying at the summer rate. The most effective means thus far discovered for deceiving the hen is to keep a thermometer with “83 degrees” painted on it in the hen- house, and to keep a bathing-suit or a pair of white flannel trousers hanging on the line in the yard. HE Eternal Triangle no longer depends on the “other woman,” It gets along just as well with a radio set THE POLE VAULTER ELOPES WITH THE PROFESSOR'S DAUGHTER. Why Plumbers Grow Rich was complaining loudly to the plumber of the high cost of plumbing “Well,” said the plumber, “we've got to pay a man and his helper.” “But you don’t necd a helper for a little job like this, do you?” said Mr. Spriggs “No,” admitted the plumber. “But, you sce, it’s like this. The man who gocs out to r house has got to take the machine, and it ain't worth while to run the machine for just one man, so we send the helper with him.” it = = RS. NERVELY: Oh-h! There's a spider on my neck! Proresson Nervery: o, dear, you are mistaken—it is a species of tarantula. The Landlord: You BEEN SELLIN’ LIQUOR HERE! YOU BEEN BREAKIN’ THE LAW! KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? THAT MEANS Y'GOTTA PAY MORE RENT, comicbooks.com