Life, 1926-02-25 · page 14 of 36
Life — February 25, 1926 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces reflecting early 20th-century American humor: **"How to Behave Like Human Beings"** offers mock advice by Gerald Gould, humorously suggesting humans mimic animals—berate dogs, mock ostriches, sneer at snakes. It's social satire mocking human pretension through absurdist inversion. **"Insurmountable"** depicts a divorce announcement. The joke centers on a couple's irreconcilable disagreement about bedroom window position at night—treated seriously as grounds for separation. It satirizes how petty domestic disputes can become catastrophic marriage failures. **"The Original Contact Men"** shows businessmen in hats, with caption referencing a "large head of cabbage" allegedly "six and seven-eights" tall—likely absurdist humor about commercial exaggeration or tall tales in business culture. The overall tone is gentle domestic and social satire typical of Life magazine's era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
How to Behave Like Human Beings ERATE the dog because it barks at the moon; argue with a tax as Abhor the hog because it enjoys a trough dinner; pretend you enjoy a picnic lunch beside a dusty road. Mock the ostrich because it believes it is safe with its head hidden; drive faster because you have accident insurance. Belittle the sheep because it follows the bellwether; attend dances because your wife tells you other men do it Smirk at the bee because the honey it gathers so laboriously will grace your table; tell has been i Defame th and accomplishes little; heap en auto salesman your salary reased. nt because it is always ns upon efficiency experts. rat the snake because it doesn't one; send your bootleg stuff to a chemist. Feel superior to the caged lion be cause its roars € wasted energy; tell your daughter she must stay at heme at least two nights a week, Laugh at the fish because it grabs a hooked worm; boast of the mail you receive from Florida realtors. Jeer at the elephant because it fears a mouse; work yourself into a rage over » in your bedroom out the rooster because it join a lodge because it gives you an opportunity to parade in yellow knickerbockers, a red coat, and laven der leggings. Gerald Cosgrove. Insurmountable been seen carousing in public with well, with women, I'm not surprise: The Original Contact Men The Judge said, solemnly BIGGER and better business fore “Before I hand down my decis ask you once more, are you conv HEN the announcement of divorce appeared in the new papers, their friends 1m casts being in order, we venture the diction that this will be a bumper knowing “Incompatibility.” But every one y. The grounds given were hat ou cal never agree ¢ he ¢ that you can never agree on how sear for pedestrians. i knew the couple could—and did—read open the bedroom window shall be at behind a smoke screen like that His (eisndii cont y both screamed : “Well, 1 don’t kn could expect. She's a Pret wild bird a home for old Now It Can Be Told ne’s been tearin wre . MINUIT had just. slipp ‘our berries to the Indi an Island. “I always try to ht thing by the hat check he confided to a reporter. Ga ee w what else you —hasn't made much Joe. I understand around with that fellow Spence q 1 bit, and you know what that means do the ed: ied be Her friends whi “Shameful, the way he’s treated her! Former Hat Salesman: a LARGE HEAD cre’s smoke there's $25- OF CABRAGE, MATAM, SAY ABOUT. SIX coal. AND SEVEN-EIGHT Stingy as they make ‘em; always after buttons. And I Ww! HE i hority that he’s ion sof dart Ce comicbooks.com aa