Life, 1925-04-23 · page 15 of 37
Life — April 23, 1925 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a drawing-room scene where a woman applies makeup while three fashionable visitors observe. The caption reads: "Darling, you ought to apply that schoolgirl complexion more carefully." This satirizes the popular "Schoolgirl Complexion" beauty product marketed to adult women—mocking the contradiction of mature women attempting to artificially achieve youthful appearance. The joke suggests the woman's makeup application is so heavy or obvious that her effort to look young appears foolish. Below are two brief comic stories: "The Tale of the Reluctant Croesus" about a wealthy man named Dow who becomes generous; and a "Fable" about a man never removing his commutation ticket. These appear to be brief satirical tales commenting on wealth, social behavior, and human nature—typical of Life's humorous content from this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE - a “ " Se Hy eI j “DARLING, YOU OUGHT TO APPLY THAT SCHOOLGIRL COMPLEXION MORE CAREFULLY.” True Story The Tale of the Reluctant Creesus NCE upon a time there was a man who had more money than he knew what to do with. He was generally known among his intimates as a Sad Case. This man, whose name, let us say, was Oscar Dow—for such was not his name—believed that in poverty was to be found the only True Happiness. So he decided to lose his money. He invested heavily in what he believed were Fake Oil Stocks, but they all turned out to be the Real Thing and he was worse off than ever. Then he married a Broadway Butterfly, but she soon became domesticated and started putting y money against a Rainy Day. He made out his income-tax return legitimately, but the Gov- ernment was so astonished by this innovation that it sent him a Refund, enclosing a letter which stated severely that the Whole Thing looked extremely Fishy, Mr. Dow then became the Angel for a show that was an assured failure, but the thing de- veloped into a Mint. He also bought a decrepit newspaper, which speedily attained the Largest Circulation in the United States. Mr. Dow was wealthier than ever, and the unex- pected course of events gave him a Pain in the Neck. So he went into a nearby saloon and asked Jerry, the bartender, for a glass of Vichy, because he had a headache. “I am sorry, sir,” said Jerry, who had been thus nick- named because his real name was Melvin A. Cooper, “but this is Nineteen-twenty-five and we do not carry anything except Liquor. However,” he continued, winking merrily at Mr. Dow, “I think I can get you some pre-Prohibition soft stuff, but it will cost you a Pretty Penny.” And, would you believe it, in a trice Mr. Dow's ambition was granted and he had spent all his fortune on a case of non- intoxicating Vichy. Of course, though, it turned out to be Gin. Tip Bliss. Fable NCE upon a time there was a man who never left his commutation ticket in his other Coat. HY is Myrtle weeping on John’s shoulder? Does she love hit “No. Probably he hae bored her to tears.” comicbooks.com