Life, 1926-05-06 · page 49 of 52
Life — May 6, 1926 — page 49: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This humorous article satirizes an overeager car salesman named Mr. Period who bores a prospect with exhaustive historical details about automobile components. The joke centers on Period's relentless, pedantic monologue—explaining how a camshaft dates to 1890 Belgian design, tracing influences from Leon Bollee, Pope Toledo, and Mercedes engineering. The satire targets salesmanship excess: Mr. Period's boss, Mr. Flidgett, watches anxiously from above, ultimately fainting from the ordeal. Despite the prospect's clear disinterest ("Not at all"), Period persists for ten minutes before Flidgett collapses. The humor lies in the contrast between Period's technical pomposity and the simple transactional reality: a customer wants to buy a car, not a automotive history lecture. The accompanying comic vignettes (boss/office boy exchange about funerals; circus gossip) reinforce the magazine's satirical approach to everyday American absurdities.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE in 10 Minut on the HOHNER HARMONICA how easy it is! Take your instruction book — you can obtain one for the asking—read the simple direc- - tions and look at the pictures, Then take your Harmonica, hold it as shown, place it to the mouth and blow—dra vtes you will have when you can play the scale you ¢ If you want to enjoy the satisfaction and popu- larity that comes to those who play t get a Hohner today—Soc up at and ask for the Pree Instruction Book. f_dealer is out of copies write M. Horner, Thee, Dept-223,114 Bast 6th Su. N. ¥. Very Much Alive OSS: Well! Orrice Be noon off, Vd like the after Orrice mother— funeral, stuf! Orrier A mother's going. te c eleventh Charleston body's xotta stay home and keep the ball park tuned in on Grandpa's radio. Bot Cannot Buy URINE rare Bat a can Promote a Yi Clean, Healthy Condition UR UR Mdht asd Mominess? Seep your Eyes Clean, Clear and Healthy. Write for Free Eye Care Book. Marine Lye Remedy Co...9 Last Obie Street, Chicago Qwoid Imitations “ASK For Horlicks Safe viance'te ue For INFANTS, Children, Incalids, Nursing Mothers,etc. Mr. Period Gets the Business ME. FLIDGETT, pres Flidgett-Sylvan Motor Company, | rose from his desk on the mezzanine and peered down upc les floor. Mr. Period, the new s tached a prospect and was sh attaché the ¢ model. nonchalance by placing his hands be hind his back, Mr down to see how the gressing “This camshaft,” My saying, “is early Belgian to 1890, when ign by means of a tube. Here have it faithfully reproduced Mr. Flidgett caught Mr. Period’s eye and signaled, “Good Lord. no!” Mr Period radioed back, aro not! Everything's gonna be all right.” Mr. Period went on. He pointed to the carburetor. “Here he ex plained proudly, “y the earliest lines just. as faithfully reproduced This form, as you will readily rec nize, belongs to the Leon Bollee pe and, aside from an air filter, it is but little different to-day.” Mr. Flidgett: approached, coughed, can supplement what Mr. Period has told you.” “Not at all,” said the prospect “And look at this di r” Mr. Period continued. “This is really early American Pope T if. Yet it has the 1893 Merce mnting 1 Ag « at this gear and smiled. Basically « type with ly Simplex. it thard, Mer- and Daimler influence. I tell ye it is as perfect i as you can find.” Mr. Period paused. There was a thud behind him — Mr. Flidgett had jainted. Kindly employees away and Mr, Period went on Ten minutes later Mr. Flidgett opened his eyes. Mr. Period. stood over him. ‘t mind initialing Mr. Period, “I car over to my client vt mean yo whispered Mr. I “Naturally. He's a mine.” What car did yo came to ns Mr. Period smiled in’ T have never til T saw my op) in the imported Circus Gossip ICKET SELLER: What's the ex citement over in the side show Text Man: The fat woman is lost Tae Burr Rest Nore Shp ni Gnatomif, Sox ” comicbooks.com