Life, 1925-03-12 · page 7 of 40
Life — March 12, 1925 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is a St. Patrick's Day themed humor section featuring Irish-American stereotypes and satire typical of early 20th-century Life magazine. **"An Ideal St. Patrick's Day"** mocks Irish-American political engagement, listing exaggerated activities from morning (shooting "Mother Machree" singers) through evening (poisoned lunches for political leaders). The humor relies on stereotypes about Irish immigrants, drinking, and vocal sentimentality. **"The First Limerick"** is a clever religious joke: if St. Patrick had killed the serpent in Eden, humanity wouldn't have fallen—but he didn't, so we're stuck with original sin. **"Horse and Horse"** is a vaudeville-style dialogue between two Irish horses with thick accents, playing on dialect humor and working-class Irish stereotypes. The cartoon bottom-left shows two men discussing "pre-Abe's Irish rose"—likely a reference to contemporary popular culture about Irish identity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
An Ideal St. Patrick’s Day A. M.—Shooting of all tonsilitic tenors known to have abused “Mother Machrce.” 10 a. M.—Public hanging of after- dinner speakers who have been heard to “It seems there were two Irishmen, 1 Mike.” 11 a, M.—Garroting of vaudeville quartets found singing “Where the Reevah Shannun Flows.” Noox.—Poisoned luncheon to all po- leaders who claim to deliver the sh vote. -—Hippodrome events. Musi- omedy Irishmen served to lions. Extermination contest; car- sts who draw St. Patrick's Day tures in the chain newspapers. M.—Grand assassination; edi- orial writers. rp, M.—Dedication of lethal cham- ler for Yiddish dancers of jigs and M.—Banquet of regular Irish. McC. H. Well-Founded ba HERE did Blivens get the inspiration for that bitter attack on Democracy in the Pacific Quarterly?” “The man next door in the suburb where Blivens lives converted his place into a two-family house.” RAvo is reported to have decreased the output of popu- lar songs by fifty per cent. That's a good beginning. “ARE YOU SURE THAT'S OLD STUFF?” “CERTAINLY! IT'S ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED TO BE GEN- E PRE-‘ABIE’S IRISH ROSE’. The First Limerick JE Saint Patrick had been on the spot The snake in Eve’s garden to swat, 'Twould have broke Adam’s Fall— And the Divil and all— Begorry, I’m glad he was not! ©. ®. Horse and Horse Imon is steadily building up his Two rather clever Irish broad recently and are now at Belmont Park.”—New York World.) IRST IRISH HORSE: Well, bedad and bejabers, who was that ma-a-re I see yes wit’ lasht noight? Seconp Ixisu Horse: That was no ma-a-re, bejabers and bedad; that was a governor! First Horse: Phwat was that busted-lookin’ statoo I see ye gapin’ at yesterday afternoon? Seconp Horse: Victory. First Horse: Victory, was ut? I'd like to see th’ felly what lost! laugh.) Seconp Horse: give ye? First Hor: Bot Hot : Whe-e-e-e-c-e! (They step into the dance.) Bedad and bejabers, (They both give a horse How do ye loike that new box stall they Letter go, professor. H.W. H. Equipped for Emergency OROTHY, daughter of a tire salesman, had seen a set of triplets for the first time in her short life. “Oh, Mother,” she said on returning home, “what do you guess I saw to-day?—A lady that had some twins with a spare!" comicbooks.com