Life, 1926-02-25 · page 22 of 36
Life — February 25, 1926 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct pieces of satirical content: **"The Gay Nineties" Illustration (top):** A cartoon depicting a retail scene labeled "REPAIR" where customers examine clothing. The caption critiques how 1890s women's fashion—specifically long skirts combined with bicycle clips (necessary for riding bicycles)—undermined the glamorous appeal that formerly attracted business to clothing repair shops. The satire targets how practical cycling attire stripped away the "glamour" merchants previously enjoyed. **"A Horse of Another Color" (bottom):** A short story dialogue between characters named Bates and another man. The narrative humorously explores misunderstandings about colored stage lighting at dances and an encounter where Bates shoves a man under a green light. The story plays with ambiguous motivations and social awkwardness at social events. **"Accessories" (sidebar):** Brief comic definitions mocking social pretension—"Bobby" brags about his sister's diamond ring; "Billy" counters that his mother has "two lawyers" and "a detective," sarcastically equating legal troubles with status symbols. The page satirizes 1890s social conventions, fashion, and class pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE GAY NINETIES THE PREVAILING MODE IN SKIRTS, PLUS THE BICYCLE CLIPS DEMANDED BY THE FEMININE TRADE, KOBBED THE BLACK BUSINESS OF MUCH OF THE GLAMOUR IT ENJOYS TO-DAY. A Horse of Another Color “THOSE colored lights,” said that man is staring at me.’ ‘Point him Bat that they throw on dance — out, dea— 1 him out,’ I replied. said, * wasn't pas She did.” ta He wasn't “Well?” said I. mote lition of collapse.” aid Bates “Of all the pasty-faced k= groaned again and rubbed his chin that's ing was the kir 4 : 2" T began what the reformers say. $ sch one jump : the hurry-up wage “He just happened,” explained Bates. banana peel under the twinkling feet and in the last stages of collapse. And, “to be standing under a green light.” of youth.” sure enough, he was sta t my Henry William Hanemann “Anyway,” said Bates, “they oughtn't partner.” owed. "He had a nerve,” [ said : * T asked. “Well, I went right Accessories said Bates, si i gave him a shove. ‘See he said, OBBY (boasting): My sister's got tell you why. [ was dancing nat do you think you're trying te a diamond ring was dancing, the other night. Suddenly — pull, hey?"” : Huh, mine’s got two lawyers, my partner said, ‘I don't like the way Quite right,” sai ten letters an’ a detective comicbooks.com