Life, 1924-10-23 · page 22 of 36
Life — October 23, 1924 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of satire: 1. **"Love Song"** by Dorothy Parker: A poem expressing romantic ambivalence—the speaker loves her beau but wishes he'd leave or disappear. The accompanying illustration shows a couple in a car; the caption jokes about finding nothing wrong with the vehicle despite the woman's sarcasm. The satire mocks romantic idealization while acknowledging real relationship frustrations. 2. **"Fable"**: A brief joke about three men on a streetcar each giving the conductor five pennies, causing delight. The accompanying cartoon shows a waiter and diner discussing sand in spinach, with the waiter sarcastically suggesting the complaint go to the "greens committee"—likely satirizing bureaucratic absurdity and misplaced authority. 3. **"Decoding Mother"** and **"The Set-Up"**: Humorous guides explaining mothers' nonverbal cues and astronomical facts, using exaggerated tone to mock both parental behavior and pseudo-scientific explanations. The page's overall tone is lighthearted domestic and social satire typical of early 20th-century Life magazine humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
* LUPE * GER. iggy <=. yen ayy! (a gee Love Song Y own dear love, he is strong and bold : And he cares not what comes after. His words ring swect as a chime of gold, And his eyes are lit with laughter. He's jubilant as a flag unfurled— Oh, a girl, she'd not forget him. My own dear love, he is all my world— And I wish I'd never met him. My love, he's young, and my love, he's ficet, And the world lies spread before him, The ways are fair to his roaming ieet, And the skies are sunlit o'er him. As sharply sweet to my heart he seems As the fragrance of acacia, My own dear love, he is all my dreams— And I wish he were in Asia. My love flits by like a day in June, And he makes no friends of sorrows, He'll dance a galloping rigadoon Down the pathway of the morrows. He'll live his days where the sunbeams start, Nor could storm or wind uproot him. Fi ‘i ; My own dear love, he is all my heart — “I CAN'T FIND NOTHIN’ WRONG WID IT, Miss” And I wish somebody'’d shoot him. BUT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN UNDER THE CARl Dorothy Parker. Decoding Mother ‘ab’ os : ___ Fable (The Boy's Own Guide to Company Manners) ONCE upon a time three men got on a street car They each gave the conductor five pennies. The con- LIGHT frown, quick oblique jerk of head: Stand up; ductor burst into loud, hearty chuckles of delight. here comes Mrs. Brown! Right eyebrow raised: I told you to wash your hands. Left eyebrow raised: Take your muddy feet off that chair. Both eyebrows raised: Go out and get rid of that chewing gum. Eyes slightly protruded: If you scratch that mahogany table, I shall scream! Tapping on floor with foot: Stop sniffing and use your handkerchief. Gentle cough: Say “Thank you!” Long, mean look: Interrupt just once more and see what happens. Clearing throat : Go to the car with Cousin Emily. False smile, eyes narrowed: Very cle young man, but just you wait until we’ alone! Low, agonized moan: What have I done, to deserve this affliction! CRS. The Set-Up STRONOMERS tell us that the solar system is traveling eleven miles a sec- Member of Golf Club: tuere’s SAND IN THIS SPINACH, WAITER, ond straight for a fixed star. After the col- Waiter: 1 THINK, SIR, YOU MAD BETTER TAKE THAT UP WITH lision we suppose it will have to be fixed THE GREENS COMMITTER, all over again. comicbooks.com