Life, 1926-01-28 · page 13 of 36
Life — January 28, 1926 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two satirical cartoons about 1920s urban life. The top cartoons mock the fur trade: the left depicts a furrier advertising "avoid imitations" while displaying furs behind bars (suggesting they're caged animals), and the right shows a "complete menagerie inside" a fur shop—visual satire on treating animal pelts as commodities. The main story, "Cars That Pass in the Night," describes a passenger's petty revenge fantasies against streetcar conductors—deliberately blocking doors, attempting to derail trolleys, and demanding transfers to unlikely locations. It's satirizing urban frustrations and the class tension between working-class transit employees and demanding passengers. The bottom section appears to begin a short story titled "Initiative" about a character named Mary discussing Ted's marriage proposal. The satire targets consumer culture, animal exploitation, and everyday urban irritations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AVOID IMITATIONS CHOOSE YOUR SKIN, WE SHOOT IT ON THE SPOT STRICTLY FRESH FURS COMPLETE MENAGERIE INSIDE Cars That Pass in the Night HEN of a mind to take a strange street car in a strange city some fine evening, I lie in wait for one on a corner two of which a sort of native cunning enables me to eliminate at the outset. I then choose the near side or the far side. When the trolley clangs disdainfully by, I take position on the other corner. Very simple When the next car speeds past, its motorman gesturing defi fs I am for the moment nonplused I stroll toward the middle of the block where is emblazoned on a lamp-post a curious legend: “Cars Stop Here”—and below, rather faint, “When Signaled.” That's the catch to it. But I am too quick for them this time. I start signal- ing when the next headlight is visible to the naked eye. I hold up a hand as if prepared to recite, make the imperious gesture of the traffic cop, spell the semaphore alphabet and give the high sign of five fraternal Sure enough, the car stop I step to its rear, but no con- ductor unfolds steps unfurls doors, though I flourish fare ap- pealingly. In vain I knock thrice and command, “Open sesame!” The entrance is front! I dash for it. Meanwhile the motorman-con- ductor has been glaring back at me, more impatient to mount and In the vicinity are four corners, orders. or ride than Paul Revere. Apparently he is behind schedule now for every Middle- and farm along So he slams the door sex ‘village the line. sighs m n my: face hopelessly over me through the mediu f sed air brakes and is off Ta TOT he “1 DON’T LIKE THESE TICKETS FOR THE TINY RAMA CLUB PERPORMANCE. CAN'T YOU GIVE ME SOME GOOD SEATS LADY, THERE SUCH THING SEAT AT AN AMATEUR SHOW.” AS A GooD backward by and bolted the door. My attempt to get on the front of lowing car is foiled by its mo- who thumb reach the red, locked I can tell by his jerks a dirty the time I ar, the conductor has b scornful look I ita Desperate, I fire need never darken in. resolve that I will a ross the bow of the ing it to heave to. Cutlass in my teeth, I next trolley, ¢ will swarm over its side and board the blamed thing. I will even if the € no quarter—not fare is thirteen cents or two tokens for twenty-five. As I to pursue these bold tactics, side doors in the next car slide open and I step in “Does this um Street?" I ask the conductor nicely Mortally offer th out at a corner where fot tracks cross. “Take after me am about car go to Geran fed, he thrusts me double car goin’ east!" he hurls Being late and lonely in a strange city, met mally, I sit down on the curb and wait for rosy-fingered dawn. Foirfax Do whose compass I never Initiative ARY: I didn’t know ny idea of marryi Ted had g you Axx: He hadn't—it was entirely my own idea comicbooks.com