Life, 1924-10-30 · page 25 of 36
Life — October 30, 1924 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces from the 1920s: **"The Party Line"** presents rural gossip filtered through dialect humor—stories about divorce, the KKK's intimidation tactics, and small-town scandal. The humor relies on folk wisdom deflating serious issues. **The lower cartoon** mocks President Calvin Coolidge's famous taciturnity (his reputation for saying very little). The joke depicts people planning to start "Coolidge Deaf and Dumb Clubs" across the country—satirizing how his silence made him seem as if he couldn't communicate, treating his reticence as a disability. One character clarifies "Coolidge ain't deaf, is he?"—acknowledging the absurdity while the humor persists. **"Life Lines"** offers brief editorial quips, including jabs at Prohibition Commissioner Haynes for withholding information, and mockery of Henry Ford's upcoming film about proper automobile care. The page reflects 1920s concerns: Prohibition, the KKK's renewed activity, Coolidge's presidency, and Ford's cultural influence—all filtered through Life's trademark irreverent, class-conscious wit.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Party Line ST Sunday parson preached about ‘Th’ truth shall set ye ce, an’ I set watchin’ Mary Gay ough th’ whole sermon wonderin’ cn her husband was goin’ to hear out her goin'-on with thet Murray wi. IT see in th’ paper to-day where s suin’ her fer divorce. Th’ truth's n’ to set her free, all right. ‘Never knew why Joe Toole kept im noisy geese around until I heard t of them nipped his mother-in- an’ she won't come to see them til he gets rid of th’ geese, I sce where th’ Klan’s tryin’ to re Ole Man Kelly by burnin’ fiery sses on th’ hill. Th’ ole man puts m out an’ drags th’ logs home. Says s much obliged to every one if they'll p it up, ‘cause then he won't need iy in no cordwood this winter. That Old English shepherd dog gave Art Saunders must be a c-enough thoroughbred. When it d Art's flock it jest sniffed an’ Iked away, Ed Barrow's oil stock is in’ after all, I heard his wife has “Maybe her wash sent to th’ laundry now. Some women puts on sech airs a body slmost gets sick, The talk of Fred Hinkler runnin’ ier supervisor, on account of Banker THE ELECTION BETTORS PAY UP Ellis figurin’ he has to get Fred some money somchow to pay off his notes. “I'd ast you over to sce us onny I expect to have a sick headache as soon as Joe gets back from town.” James K. McGuinness. Partners OCTOR: I'll examine you all over for fifteen dollars. Patient: All right, Doc; and if you find it, we'll split fifty-fifty. 23 Life Lines T is to be hoped La Follette’s radical ideas do not go so far as the abolish- ment of the Presidency altogether. Somebody has to pitch the first ball in a World Series. LL Prohibition Commissioner Haynes re- fuses to give out any information re- garding the activities of his department. Well, no news is good news, aL Republics are notoriously forgetful. What bright little pupil can tell us the fourth given name of the Prince of Wales to-day? iL Now the King of Cambodia, French dependency in Indo-China, is coming here, and society leaders are getting all steamed up over the prospects of a Long Island tiger hunt. aL Eleven persons were killed and sixty injured in Cuban election rioting. Un- fortunately, none of the casualties was running for office. aL Henry Ford, they say, is about to make a movie dealing with the proper care and treatment of flivvers. The title, of course, will be “The Tin Command- ments.” “IT SEZ HERE THEY'RE GOIN’ TO START COOLIDGE DEAF AND DUMB CLUBS ALL OVER TH’ COUNTRY.” “AIN'T IT CROOL TH’ THINGS THEY'LL DO AT ELECTION! COOLIDGE AIN'T DEAF, IS HE?” comicbooks.com