Life, 1925-08-20 · page 22 of 36
Life — August 20, 1925 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of satirical content: **"Reversal"** tells of a city girl who moved to rural "Grubb's Corners" and has lost her urban sophistication—her makeup, style, and vitality have faded. The joke inverts the typical narrative: instead of finding wholesome renewal in country life, she's devastated upon seeing a store sign advertising "Butter and Eggs," a cruel reminder of her lost cosmopolitan lifestyle. The satire mocks both urban vanity and rural simplicity. **"Ode to Summer"** ironically praises summer by cataloging working-class hardships (people seeking air on rooftops, crowded beaches) while ending with a jab at the wealthy: they're frantically stockpiling anthracite coal in summer—an absurd image suggesting anxiety about winter shortages. The satire criticizes class disparity during economic uncertainty. **"Variant Feminine"** is a brief joke about female optimism, suggesting women delude themselves about their appearance based on flattery from friends. The cartoon showing two figures by water with the caption "Are they bitin' to-day, mister?" appears to illustrate fishing humor, though context is limited.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
20 Reversal HE was just a poor little girl from the city, cast by the bewildering currents of life into the maelstrom of Grubb’s Corners. A short year back she had been gay and blithesome—a rare flower in the perfect setting of Broadway's glittering supper clubs. A short year back she had not known the insidious influences of Grubb’s Cor- And now— Where were those lovely rose leaves that used to blossom on her cheeks? Wilted, alas. Where the deep carmine that curved with her cherry-ripe lips? Faded, forever faded. Where the ar- tistic shadows beneath her eyes; the heavy mascara that beaded her lashes; the Ritz clip that adorned her graceful neck? Gone, all gone, the old, familiar gr ners; a short year back. She walked slowly, as one in sor- row; and her glance strayed to the Grubb's Corners General Store, across the roadway. Mr, Grubb was affixing a new sign to the front of the dusty window. Idly, she read; and then she “NOW IN HECK CAN [PLAY THAT BALL?™ stopped as though she had been stabbed by sudden pain, Her hands instine- tively shielded her eyes as she turned quickly away from the tragic reminder of other days which flaunted itself across the store front, but not without one last, pained look at that cruel mes- sage, so fraught with memories: Butter ann Eccs. A sob racked her frail body, and she hurried away. James Kevin McGuinness. WELL, RATHER Ode to Summer ING for summer! When the ragamuffins splash In the stream of the fire-hose; When poor folk crawl To the roof-tops for air, Or ride the trolleys To the crowded beach; When the iceman scurries Along the hot street. Sing for summer, When the rich man Piles high in his cellar Anthracite coal! W. L. Werner. Variant Feminine DAUGHTER: Mama, what is an optimist ? Mama: An optimist, my daughter, is a woman who thinks her friends think she looks as young as they say she looks. HE voice in the wilder “Where's the can opener, dear? The Younger One: Are. THEY BITIN’ TO-DAY, MISTER? comicbooks.com