Life, 1926-05-27 · page 31 of 44
Life — May 27, 1926 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains **three separate items**: humorous anecdotes, advertisements, and a poem. The **"Not New but Good"** section debunks the historical myth that Emperor Nero played fiddle while Rome burned—clarifying he was actually miles away, and fiddles didn't exist then anyway. **"All a Mistake"** is a brief joke from the Iowa Gazette about a mule that kicked a farmer, with a play on the phrase "the mule thought George was another mule." The **advertisements** for Berry Brothers varnish and Kelly flexible cord use the Nero reference as a hook—just as the popular misconception about Nero persists, so do myths about varnish (that it shouldn't turn white on floors). The ad claims their product is genuinely superior because it resists wear. The **"Perfection"** poem satirizes amateur religious singing groups. **"Just Like Politics"** mocks marital discord with a divorce joke. No specific political figures are caricatured here; this is general-interest satirical content typical of the era's Life magazine.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Not New but Good Perfection car on the a ride down Nero didnt fid But while Rome head ac says that Nero was SO miles away in Antium when Rome burned. And in those days fiddles were just as rare as radios. Another popular fallacy concerns varnish. Some folks think that if varnish won't turn white it must be good for floors. But others know it should also withstand millions of steps. Berry Brothers’ Liquid Granite is waterproof, of course, but of greater importance is the fact that it is the most wear-resisting varnish manufactured. oo mS ERRY BROTH ERG Varnishes Enamels Stains Walkerville, Ont. Detroit, Mich, comicbooks.com