Life, 1924-07-17 · page 8 of 36
Life — July 17, 1924 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains three satirical pieces: 1. **"Domestic Felicity"**: A husband and wife exchange banalities about their day—he wrote a novel chapter, she fed the baby. The satire mocks the tedium of domestic married life, presenting it as fundamentally dull despite the couple's attempts at cheerfulness. 2. **"Sarcastic Burglar" and "Fable"**: Brief humorous anecdotes. The fable mocks a rich girl engaged to a poor chauffeur whose great-uncle is a Duke—satirizing social climbing and mercenary romance. 3. **"Louder and Funnier"**: A short joke about radio entertainment disappointing the narrator. 4. **The main illustration** depicts a working-class dinner scene where someone loudly complains about "askin' for things," satirizing working-class domestic disputes and materialism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sarcastic Burglar: GONNA DO NOW THAT Y'RE Discreet Householder: wu HELP YOU PACK. Fable ONCE there was a rich girl who be- came engaged to a poor chauffeur. “What a ghastly mistake!” said everybody. Then it was discovered that the chauffeur’s great-uncle was a cousin of the Duke of Fiddlestick: “What a sweet romance!” said every- HERE? “ASKIN’ FOR THINGS? WELL, AN’ WOT ARE Y’ ER...1 MIGHT ASKIN’ FOR THINGS. : LIFE = Domestic Felicity e: Any apartment. Time: Any ‘Any husband CHARACTERS : and any wife. E: Got a lot done on the novel to-day. Sue (nodding): Er-hm. The baby was very good to-day. He (nodding): Um- hum. I decided to write a chapter showing Elsie at the Duchess of Barton's house-party. Sune (nodding): Er-hm. I fed him at cight and didn’t hear a sound from him until noon. He (nodding) : Um-hum. This will give me a chance to show how fascinated Elsie is by Wilfred’s epigrams. Don't you think that's good? Sue (nodding): Er-hm. He woke up about noon, but lay there just as quict. He must have been awake half an hour before I paid any atten- tion to him. He (nodding): Um-hum. I thought of a good epigram for Wilfred to startle her with. Sue (nodding): Er-hm. When I picked him up he laughed and tried to catch my hair. Wasn't that darling? WHAT DO YA THINK I'M MADE OF? He (nodding): Um-hum. The epi- gram is: The man who says he has found perfect love merely proclaims himself an imperfect lover. How do you like that? Sue (nodding): Er-hm. I wouldn't be surprised if he began getting his teeth soon now. (Then coffee is served, and as hus- band and wife stir their cups they think how fortunate it is to be married to some one who is really interested in you.) B. B. Louder and Funnier I SHOT a joke into the air, It fell to earth I know not where; But when I'd sown my meagre chaff, I listened close, nor heard a laugh, And felt that pang which all must know Who've jested through the radio. FATHER: You'll never succeed if you don't apply yourself. Son: To whom? T takes nine tailors to make a man, and one dressmaker to break him. ELECTRICITY ?” comicbooks.com