Life, 1924-09-11 · page 23 of 36
Life — September 11, 1924 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces reflecting 1920s American concerns: **"The Cheap Chauffeur"** is a sentimental ballad (by George S. Chappell) mocking courtroom drama. It references "a recent trial"—likely involving a chauffeur as witness or defendant—where class prejudice becomes central. The joke: a judge dismisses social bias against working-class testimony, declaring the "cheap chauffeur" trustworthy *because* of his humble status. The sob-song format parodies melodramatic popular entertainment. **"A Fable for No One in Particular"** satirizes literary pretension. A humorist fears peer mockery for submitting experimental poetry ("typographical things") to little magazines. His rejected work becomes famous *as satire* when published in mainstream venues attacking modernist verse. The irony: his shame prevented honest literary ambition. **"Locating the Trouble"** is a brief joke playing on 1920s radio terminology. A child asks God repeatedly for a baseball glove, then wonders if his "wave length" is wrong—humorously applying radio broadcasting language to prayer. The top cartoon satirizes political radio campaigning using technical jargon as empty spectacle.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH IN RADIO CAMPAIGNING The Cheap Chauffeur A Sob Song (Suggested by a recent trial. To be sung to any old twie.) “THE courtroom it was crowded, the witnesses were there, And one of them was scated within the witness-chair, \Vhen suddenly a woman rose; all eyes were turned on her. As she loudly cried, “He's lying, Judge; he’s only a cheap chauffeur!" CHORUS. “Only a Gommon, cheap chauffeur With mean, deceitful eyes. Only a low-down, yellow cur Who lics and lies and lies! Surely you won't believe him, Judge, When he casts this wicked slur. Look at his face and you will sce... He's only a cheap chauffeur.” The aged Judge then quickly rose and tears streamed down his face, As he gazed upon that witness who sat trembling in his place. Then to that woman fair he said, “I've listened to your plea. And if he is a cheap chauffeur he’s just the one for me.” CHORUS. “Only a common, cheap chauffeur, A thing I've never seen, Who wears no rich and costly coat, But one of faded green.” Then from that witness came a sob— And tears his eyes did blur; “God bless you, Judge, you’ “ed my life, Though I'm only a poor chauffeur.” George S. Chappell. N advertisement for stock in a South African oil ven- ture has appeared in newspapers here. This is believed to be a new bait-casting record, “SO YOU AND DICK ARE TO BE MARRIE! A Fable for No One in Particular NCE upon a time there was a humorist who nursed a secret am- bition. He aspired to sce one of his poems in one of the Little Magazines. But he was afraid that his brother humorists would chaff him about it. So he never submitted one. One day, however, his ambition over- came his timidity and he wrote—oh, you know, one of those typographical things. He sent it to Cirrhosis Magazine. It was returned, He sent it to The Gamboge Review. It was returned. It also came back from Carpet- Sweeper, The Clockface, This Country and Split Hexameters Whereupon the humorist wrote a bitter satire on the New Verse and, using his rejected contribution as a sample, at- tracted a tremendous amount of favorable comment when it appeared in a popular periodical. Baron Ireland. Locating the Trouble RACTICAL YOUNGSTER: Mother, this is th’ fifth time I've asked God f'r a new first-baseman’s mitt—an’ I haven't got it yet! D'ya s'pose my wave length’s wrong? F wld, 11]|| AIAN NAT Hl Alt | 1 THOUGHT IT WAS A MERE FLIRTATIO “so pip He!” comicbooks.com