Life, 1926-04-29 · page 14 of 42
Life — April 29, 1926 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Life magazine page satirizes 1890s social conventions through three separate humorous pieces. The main cartoon depicts a parlor scene where a guest has committed a social faux pas by using the word "leg" instead of the euphemistic "limb"—a violation of Victorian propriety. The shocked reactions of the assembled women illustrate how prudish and restrictive language norms were among the upper classes. Below are three brief humor columns: "Collegiate" mocks young men eager to join fraternities and pursue college social life; "Now You Tell One" presents an anecdote about proper etiquette; and "Perfectly Safe" and "Hardened" offer short joke exchanges about romantic situations and fur coats. Together, these pieces gently mock the rigid social codes and artificial propriety of the 1890s era.
📄 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 SOCIAL HAZARD IN TIE NICE NINETIES—THE GUEST WHO INADVERTENTLY USED THE worD “LEG” INSTEAD OF “LIMB.” Collegiate yo know, I really have just one great wish in this world l'd like to be collegiate Vd like to wear a loud sweater— And ha With And an Vd like t my car And learn te play a uke! nz those ¢ ut with g very night you k I've hardly got Ho all that stuff OR Henry Mencken to the Perfectly Safe ZR LOVER: Isn't there danger of ur husband's coming home some time and catching us? Hts Lapy Frresp: Not a bit—my husband's a detective Hardened of a confirmed wet is he lown with a bottle beside him and enjoys a talk by Wayne B. Wheeler on the radio. ABEL: What do you think of my new fur? Marte: It's the cat's, dearie! comicbooks.com