Life, 1924-07-31 · page 27 of 36
Life — July 31, 1924 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of Life's humor: **"Schedule for Going Fishing"** mocks the stereotypical married man's fishing trip—his wife repeatedly questions the necessity of departing early, challenging his claims about tides and fish behavior. The joke is the husband's increasingly irritable, contradictory responses and admitted ignorance ("I haven't the slightest notion how the fish know how close they are to shore"), yet he persists in his outing. **The streetcar cartoon** depicts an advertising sign on a car. The conductor explains he's paid to ride the car advertising "Sam's Clothes"—satire on early 20th-century mobile advertising and its absurdity. **"Bedtime Story"** is political satire: two candidates literally swap platforms after being knocked over by wind. No one notices the difference, implying political platforms are interchangeable and meaningless—a cynical commentary on campaign rhetoric. **"Shingled"** jokes about the "bob" (short haircut), then fashionable. The rural mother mistakes her daughter's bobbed hair for typhoid—satirizing generational/urban-rural divide and older generations' shock at modern women's styles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Schedule for Going Fishing A. M.—Rise and lurch towards alarm clock. 5:01 Snort under cold shower. )—Yell, in response to wife's query, “Yes, we're late now.” 3.07—Explain that it is necessary to be out on the fishing grounds when the tide turns. xplain further that fish run with the incoming tide. »—Agree with wife that in all probability there are as many fish in the sea at low tide as at high. , rather irritably, that all you know about it is that the fishing is good while the tide is running in. i3—Reply, “Oh! any old hat will de 3-14—Inquire what difference it makes. 15—Say, “Sure! the white leghorn will be all right”; wonder what the white leghorn looks like. Answer wife to the general effect that the tide rises inshore about the same time it does off the light- house—only a few minutes’ difference. 5:17—Reply, “Well, the fish won't come that close to land, so we have to go out where they are running $:18—Assure wife, quite irritably, that you haven't the slightest notion how the fish know how close they are to shore. 19—Add, as an afterthought, that probably they can hear the automobile horns, and things like that 5.20-—Join wife at garage door. —Pack material in car. bserve that you would like to lay a sizable bet that the rest of the bunch have been waiting for ages. —Drive to yacht club. —Wait for rest of party. —Wait for fisherman to arrive with power boat. 37-6:45—Help female members of party aboard; stow various packages, bottles and baskets. 46—Settle back to doze as boat heads out to sea. James K. McGuinness. “WHY DON'T YOU PUT THAT SIGN AT THE END OF THE CAR UNTIL YOU GET OFF?" “1 DON’T GET OFF. 1'M PAID TO KIDE UP AND DOWN ON THIS LINE AN’ ADVERTISE SAM'S CLOTHES, SEE!” Bedtime Story NCE upon a time there were two candidates for office who marched about the streets carrying their platforms on signboards five feet high, so the people could readily understand what they stood for. Along came a so that their high wind that bowled both candidates over, ignboards dropped to the ground. The candi- dates immediately scrambled to their feet, because it doesn’t look well for a candidate to be bowled over by any- thing, least of all a lot of wind, and ‘') each went on his way carrying on high the big signboard of the other, which he had picked up by mistake. But no one ever noticed the ‘differ- ence, not even the candidates themselves. Moral: Any platform is a good plat- form. Bertram Bloch, Shingled OTHER had come in from the farm to visit her daughter in the city. After the kiss of greeting, she noticed’ her daughter's bobbed ir. Her eyes opened wide in astonishment. “Well, fer pity’s sake, Lizzy,” she exclaimed, “you never even writ me you had the typhoid.” THE golf liar has one advantage over the fishing liar. He doesn't have to show anything to prove it comicbooks.com