Life, 1925-01-29 · page 31 of 37
Life — January 29, 1925 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine (likely 1920s based on style) contains satirical social commentary typical of the era: **"What They Read in the Subway"** stereotypes commuters by social class and reading habits—laborers read scandal papers, stenographers read confessional magazines, executives read financial pages, and young women read movie magazines. The joke mocks how reading choices supposedly reveal character and ambition. The final anecdote about a "Bolshevist" reading *David Copperfield* appears to be ironic commentary on radical politics. **"Mrs. Pep's Diary"** satirizes upper-class social pretension through a wealthy woman's account of entertaining and gossip, poking fun at name-dropping and the contradiction between cultivating an appearance of proper severity while actually enjoying scandal. **"Fable"** begins mocking predictable movie tropes—bachelor parties that inevitably include swimming pools, champagne, dancers, and excess. The advertisements (Apollinaris water, Wrigley's gum) are era-appropriate commercial content, not satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
from the spring bot- tled only with its own natural gas. “The Queen of Table Waters” Pith Avenue at tond Streets NewYork The Crossword Enthusiast Recites an Old Jingle I went to the animal fair, All the emus and yaks were there, The pumas and tapirs Were cutting up capers— But the lion, he stayed in his lair. What They Read in the Subway Most of the laborers who are rid- ing at 7 a.M. read the pictorial scan- lal newspapers. Most of the stenographers who are riding at 8 a.M. read the pictorial scandal newspapers, and magazines of the confessional type. Most of the young up-and-coming go-getters who aspire to executive positions, riding at 8:30 aA.M., are reading the standard newspapers, prin- cipally the sporting page. Most of the paunchy old gentlemen in square-topped derbies, spats, and mut- ton-chop whiskers, who are riding about 10 a.M., are reading the finan- cial page. Most of the young girls who are riding about 2 p.a., on their way to matinees, are reading the movie mag- azines, I once saw in an early morning sub- way train a young man, who looked like a Bolshevist, reading “David Cop- perfield.” DLR. S. Tue worst fate in the world would be to be wrecked on a desert island with a crossword puzzle book and no pencil. * LIFE: Mrs. Pep’s Diary (Continued from page 12) as parlour entertainers, finding two fine ones, Main Street Wasn't Big Enough for Mary, and I Found You Out When I Found You in Some- body Else’s Arms, Thence to Marjorie Patterson's and Theodora Bean's for luncheon, sect on a small table laden with some of the crested crystal which had belonged to the famous Betsy Pat- terson, so we were struck dumb with horror when, through the carelessness of a servant in adjusting the legs prop- erly, the entire board crashed to the floor as we were about to seat our- selves. Nought was broken, fortunately, save the uncostly sherry glasses which had come from Macy's basement, which is a splendid item under the evidence of the existence of a Deity. After the meal we fell to gossip and scandal, which delighted me so that I cried out, Come, now, let us have more—I do love dirt! whereto Marjorie replied, anent the personalities involved, This is not dirt—it’s simply characterization! Off betimes to buy a pair January 7 4 z 4 of silver slippers, behind a taxi driver who sang so blithely that I feared he must be drunk and would land me in a hospital instead of a bootery, but it proved, thank God, to be only geniality and a lack of self- consciousness. I had liefer have them carol than turn back to make conversa- tion with me, as so many of them do of late, and will continue to do, says my husband, until J ccase looking so friendly and simple-minded. Which re- minds me that I must cultivate a greater severity of expression. Home in the early afternoon, awaiting Sam, who tarried so long that I began to suspect foul play, but he came home at six o'clock with the news that he had stopped at the club for tea. It was high tea, I take it, said I, where- upon he made a playful feint at me with his muffler with so uncertain an aim that he knocked over our best lamp and broke it. Which did teach me that there is a time and place for everything, including repartee. Baird Leonard. Fable Once upon a time there was a mov- ing picture which portrayed a youthful bachelor’s dinner party without intro- ducing a swimming pool, buckets of champagne, bathing girls, toy balloons, silken streamers, half a dozen jazz bands, hundred-dollar bills (concealed beneath the ladies’ plates) and leopard skin rugs. A Boos is a wise guy who has just left the room. ere r uz may geta package és of Wrigleys too)” Wise mother: - she re- wards the little errand runner with something delicious. long-lasting and beneficial. Happy. healthy child- ren. with Wrigley’s- and best of all - the cost is small! Aleading denhst stales that cheming guitt vol orely cleans Ihe leeth and atds digestion but acts as amuldantiseplic inthe mouth at the same Lime thal tt re: treshes THE FLAVOR comicbooks.com