Life, 1925-11-19 · page 16 of 40
Life — November 19, 1925 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a satirical cartoon titled "The Gay Nineties" depicting what appears to be a social scene from that era. The caption notes it shows "A Gridiron Hero of the Mid-Nineties" and references prowess "upon the field of battle" and ability to "dodge the barber." Below is a humorous dialogue titled "Switchboard Sally" between two characters—apparently a young man and woman—engaging in flirtatious banter about dating, theater, and social activities. The woman (Sally) playfully critiques the man's romantic overtures and boasts about her own popularity and independence, mentioning dates, movie theaters, and roller skating. The satire appears to mock youthful courtship rituals and social pretensions of the 1890s period being referenced, with particular emphasis on modern women's newfound social freedom and assertiveness in dating.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE GAY NINETIES A Gridiron Hero of the Mid-Nineties APPARENTLY PROWESS UPON THE FIELD OF BATTLE IN THOSE DAYS DEPENDED, LIKE SAMSON'S OF OLD, UPON ONE'S ABILITY TO DODGE THE BARBER, IN THE BACKGROUND WE HAVE THE APPROVED KLASSY KUT KAMPUS KLOTHES OF THE PERIOD, Switchboard Sally OU'RE a fine boy-friend, I'll say!...Well, you could of looked it up in the book, couldn't you?...Oh, go home and tear yourself a herring! I wouldn't wait more than fifteen minutes for the best man on earth!...Yes, and I bet you didn’t even show up at all....Oh, dry up, you're all wet! ...Is that so?...Why, you—wait a second, I got a call... I'll go out with who and wherever I please! I suppose you think I’m going to kill an evening at a Prohibition lecture or somethin’, just because you get conveniently absent- minded!.../s that so?...Well, he’s not one of the hoy- polloy, anyway, and I bet he can give you some fine points on how to tip the waiter and the soup-plate! ...Oh, no, I’m not angry...just terribly, terribly hurt! ...Yes, you sound it!...You hate yourself, don’t youl... You're so optimistic I bet you must hang around back- stage of the movie theayters and wait for the film queens to come out! ...Wait a second....No, ma'am, but there’s one on the fifth floor front, two rooms and a kitchenette....Hello.... Oh, I thought you'd hang up on me....Don't you try to green-hat me! You can go out with all the dames you want! That's kosher with me!...Mutual! ..-Hello....Peggy?...This me....Yeh, I certainly laced it into Oscar for that stand-up last night. He won't get any more dates with me—not even if he promises to buy me a lot in Palm Beach!...When—to-night?...Sure thing! ..»Has he got a car?...I don’t go out in nothing less than a Packard these days !,...All right, dearie, I'll bring my roller skates! Max Lief. comicbooks.com