Life, 1925-01-15 · page 25 of 36
Life — January 15, 1925 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of 1920s American humor: **"January Song of the Suburbanite"** mocks middle-class complacency—despite winter hardships, suburbanites are content merely because they've hired domestic help (a cook). **"When Your Friends Return from Dixie"** satirizes aggressive salesmanship and regional stereotyping. Northern acquaintances returning from the South are relentlessly pestered to buy Florida orange groves, a reference to the Florida land boom speculation craze of the era. The humor targets both pushy commerce and gullible investors. **"The Complex"** jokes on rural skepticism versus urban expertise. A Texas rancher dismisses a geodetic engineer's technical explanation of compass declination, insisting he's actually searching for oil—mocking rural suspicion of educated "outsiders" and the oil boom mentality. The "Terra Incognita" map cartoon contrasts the known "Civilized World" against unexplored regions, likely commentary on American geographic/cultural insularity. All reflect 1920s preoccupations: suburbanization, real estate speculation, rural-urban tension, and American economic expansion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TEETER anuary Song of the J Suburbanite THE skies are dark and wint'ry; The streets are loud with rain, Bat in our hearts there’s only We've got a cook again! When Your Friends Return from Dixie order to make them feel at home: ry to sell them an orange grove. Ask them if they have read in the pers about the terrible blizzard up th. Continue to try to sell them an orange ve Advise them to throw away their (Cross the fingers while ercoats, this.) Keep on about the orange grove. Mention the prominent people who ve arrived to-day. Don't forget about the orange grove. P the Southern accent a_ little onger. Sell ‘em the orange grove. De The Complex COAST and geodetic survey engi- neer was making observations in xas for compass declination. He is at his instruments, and taking pious notes, when a rangy xan Iked up, examined the outfit, and quired: “Whattyer doing, young felly ?” The engineer, new and enthusiastic in ie coast and geodetic survey service, plied in detail: I am determining the latitude, longi- ide and declination of the compass d establishing a permanent survey omument for the benefit of local sur- yors. The compass pointing goes rough a small change in a period of ars and I am determining the exact vinting at this date. I am observing n the sun, and by astronomy I am ble to establish a true North and South Then I determine the magnetic jointing of the compass, and the angle ctween the two gives me what I'm looking for—the declination of the com- Ass. But the native wasn't convinced. He spat at the instruments, gave his big hat 1 vicious tug, and announced: “Ye can't fool me, young felly; ye’re looking fer oil.” J aud | “MOUNTAIN DEW, EH? THE MAN WHO CHRISTENED that COULD FIND A TRADE-NAME FOR AN EARTHQUAKE IN LOS ANGELES!” HE man who really believes “it t gonna rain no mo'” is either a confirmed optimist, a disappointed umbrella manufacturer or a California realtor. DEMOCI Capitalizing Interference ERVISS: The best way to get along is to mind your own business, Wortn: Unless you're an efficiency ATIC GEOGRAPHY comicbooks.com