Life, 1925-02-12 · page 8 of 36
Life — February 12, 1925 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical pieces about theater and urban life. **"Why Plays Should Begin in the Middle"** mocks Broadway theater conventions. The author complains that plays end too late, forcing audiences to catch late trains home from the suburbs. His solution: move to the city so his wife can attend shows comfortably—revealing the absurdity of prioritizing theater schedules over practical life decisions. **"A Poser"** is a brief domestic joke where a wife and husband disagree on spelling "La Follette" (likely referring to Robert La Follette, a prominent Progressive politician). The humor lies in their marital bickering over a crossword puzzle. **"Deacon Springs"** cartoon depicts a city gentleman confronting a rural youth loitering at a train station, exemplifying class and cultural tensions between urban and rural America during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AT LAST—A PROPERLY PROPORTIONED DRESSING TABLE Why Plays Should Begin in the Middle ‘OR a long time we lived in the suburbs and had to leave in the middle of the last act to get the last train home. All the Broadway successes ended, for me, about like this: “Eve decided to tell the truth and explain the whole mystery.” -+-"Hide behind that curtain and when the ‘Vampire’ comes in, we'll corner it and solve this horrible mystery.” --“Don't shoot till I give the word.” “LT can't ask you to marry me, but I want you to know I love you.” uu might as well confess, The jig is up.” r kind permission I will now perform my fying leap from balcony to stage, holding the little girl on my shoulders.” we finally decided to move into town, where my wife could be comfortably late to every play. Now the shows begin, for me, about like this: Deacon Spriggs “But has any one found us out?” "I can't stand it any longer. How could you? “Yes, and the master’s beginnin’ to ‘ave ‘is suspicions, too.” “Ha! Ha! And now let me ask you a question.” That's what they say, and yet she dares to come here.” T'll never forget it. It haunts me day and night.” -.-“Yes, I'll do it. Leave it all to me.” Mostly we go to the movies and sit through two shows Ss. Ww. A Poser Wi E (doing her crossword): Dearie, how do you spell “La Follette”? Hussanp (doing the dishes): L-a-F-o-1-l-e-t-t-c. Wire (still crosswordy): That won't do. Who was another French premier? Ya es Salim anty YOUNG MAN, WHY DO YOU SPEND SO MUCH OF YOUR TIME STANDING AROUND ON THE STATION PLATFORM ? Youth WAL, A FELLER GETS TIRED OF JES’ DOIN’ NOTHIN’. comicbooks.com