Life, 1924-08-07 · page 23 of 36
Life — August 7, 1924 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces: **"Tramping Through Anywhere"** mocks rural communication and direction-giving. Mr. Willis D. Todd, a city man attempting to walk to "Cootsville," repeatedly asks natives for distance estimates. Each native gives wildly different answers (two miles, four miles, nine miles by car), reflecting either rural vagueness or the locals' inability to conceive why anyone would *walk* for pleasure. The humor satirizes the culture clash between urban efficiency and rural indifference, plus the difficulty of getting straight answers in small towns. **"The Yellow Press"** (the illustration at top right) shows a man at a desk—likely representing sensationalist journalism. The caption about a nurse making children think she's leaving next week suggests the press exaggerates or fabricates stories for dramatic effect, a common criticism of yellow journalism in early 20th-century America. **"House Rules"** is a brief joke about a homeowner asking a burglar to lock the kitchen door—absurdist humor playing on politeness.
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Tramping Through Anywhere Mt WILLIS D. TODD, off on a hike, is trying to make” Cootsville, which should have been in sight if an hour ago.... When Mr, Todd started out in the morn- » he sang aloud all the good old songs he knew. Evi- nily he has run out of songs, for he isn't singing now. Mr. Toop (to a native who is leaning against a fence): low far is it to Cootsville? Native (after a considerable pause, during which he onders why any one should want to go to Cootsville): Ef u go down that side road mile ‘n’ a half you'll hit the olley that runs ‘tween Cootsville and Marbeltown. Mr. Topp: But I don’t want to hit the trolley. I'm walk- nd I'd like to know the distance. Native (after a much longer pause): Waal, ef you want to walk, I reckon it’s two miles to Pike's Corners, "bout hree and a half to Gliffle Falls and straight four miles from here to the courthouse at Cootsville. (Mr. Todd thanks the native and moves off....An hour ter, he arrives at Pike's Corners and stops a brisk young farmer with a cow.) Mr. Topp: How far is it to Cootsville? Native: Railroad station's just a step from here. Ye can get a train to Cootsville at three-cighteen. Mrs. Brown: YOUR NURSE IS CHARMING CHILDREN, SHE ALWAYS MAKES THEM THINK SHE 1S LEAVING NEXT WEEK, WITH THE Mrs. Smith: y oan = a iT rn wal uF Def ah mn oa THE YELLOW PRESS (Mr. Todd explains that he is walking. reluctant to have it so.) Native: Waal, the fare'’s only thirty-two cents. (Mr. Todd explains that he is walking for pleasure, whereupon the native whistles, and idly plaits the cow's tail as he looks wonderingly and long at Mr. Todd.) Native: Waal, ef you won't take the train, keep on this road till you get to Gliffle Falls—that’s, four miles—then you go down the road past the Shaker Ch’ch a mile to Jones’ Crossing, an’ that’s three and a half miles 'xactly to Peter Newstead’s Grocery and Garage in Cootsville. (Mr. Todd begins to wonder whether the boys in New York are having any fun....After walking two hours and fiftcen minutes at the rate of four miles another nat: Mr. Toop: and Garage? Native: Waal, I'd have to figger that out. (The thought of so much effort saddens him, but he cheers up in a moment.) ‘S no use my doin’ that fer ye with the bus due along here in a minit. (Mr. Todd explains, a little less buoyantly than before, that he is walking—out of choice.) Native: Walking! Think o’ that! Thar wuz a man from here once that walked it. (Mr. Todd's heart begins to sink.) But that wuz before my day. Mr. Toop: Couldn't you even guess the distance? Native: Waal, it ain't reely so far. ‘Bout three-quarters of an hour d in the cyar. (Mr. Todd quickly estimates how far a car dr at twelve miles an hour—the native looks like a twelve-mile- hour man—tvould go in three-quarters of an hour and finds it is just nine miles....He sits down and waits for the bus.) Bertram Bloch. The native is an hour he accosts How far is it to Peter Newstead’s Grocery House Rules Bu DAD (from the bed, to burglar): When you go out will you lock the kitchen door and put the key under the mat? comicbooks.com