Life, 1926-05-27 · page 40 of 44
Life — May 27, 1926 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising** for *The Golden Book* magazine, not a political cartoon. The left panel promotes the publication by listing famous literary contributors (Balzac, O. Henry, Tolstoi, etc.) and promising readers entertainment plus literary education. The right column contains the opening of a **satirical fiction piece** titled "Passing the Buccaneer." It mocks the adventure-romance genre popular at the time—specifically stories like Rafael Sabatini's swashbuckling novels. The humor derives from the contrast between the protagonist "Captain Martin Blunderbuss," a supposedly romantic pirate with a storied past, and his interaction with "Sol J. Blintz," a crass modern real-estate developer ("Blintz Developments, Inc."). The satire ridicules both the overwrought language of period adventure fiction ("the desperate hide-and-seek of women prisoners") and the shallow commercialism of contemporary American business, represented by Blintz's sales-pitch mentality interrupting genuine drama.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Balzac O Henry France Tolstoi Capuana Korolenko Bret Harte Rann Kennedy Dostoieusky A New Kind of Magazine! The contributors? Such story writers as Owen Wister, Mark Twain, Stewart Edward White, Barrie, Conrad, Thomas Hardy, Maupas- sant, Tarkington, Bunner, Davis, Hickman, and their like—Masters of the Magic Word. You have entertainment and, besides, the education that comes from reading with de- light the masterpieces of literature, The point is that THe GOLDEN Book interests you, stimulates your imagination, tickles your sense of humor, adds to your feeling for beauty. Nearly 200,000 are reading its covers off. 2Sc at the newsstands, $3.00 a year THE REVIEW OF REVIEWS CORP. N.Y. Passing the Buccaneer R-R-RUMP! The b the gently shelving beach and tain Martin Blundert Barracuda of the at grated on stepped into the pearly Floridian dawn, “Cram me wi’ souvenir he muttere “this don't | place at all Martin Blunderbuss was an old-time ate whose romantic adventures were as yet uncharted by Rafael Sabatini How he happened to be in present-day Florida had best be left to the explar tion of Sir Arthur “Welcome to Gru Key, my welcome!” boomed a voice sudden! “Welcome to Grunt Key, the Hay ness Land, Sunshine Haven, the ground of Rajahs of Finance— 13 here in my time,” returned Bi buss; “the glint of starlight on flicker “Aye, and pretty play I have seen nd der ing blades, the desperate hide-and-seek of women prisoners, the hempen dance but harkee—”" of de ed the z, of “Blintz is the nar rejo “not Harkey. Sol J. E z Developments, Inc. Looking 1 investment?” me from Beyond,” said > reveal a treasure Blunder “Oh,” said Blintz, “treasure-hunt stuff. Well, that’s It ty good for the as good as a Say, you got a good line for the game, all right. How is it [ ain't seen ed Blintz. s over that windy you before? “Clap the hate cave of yours and listen,” growled the jy. “My time is short.” “Elegant,” ded Blintz, “elegant aud insulting. You got a salesman’s Captain ir future before you, my friend de \ impressively. “And “I have a past—a hideous pas clared the Ca in expiation they have let me come to tell where lies the treas “Goose pimples you're giving me. encouraged Blintz, “and I am beginning to believe you, I would believe any This is a wonderful cow head. How much is this treasure “Ten thousand English pounds! “Oh!” Disappointment showed plainly in Blintz’s voice Fifty grand. | knew there was a catch.” “Aye, a pretty catch. Decks ran tod for it, and the air reeked the lethal breath of cannon and g with the shricks of the wounded and_ the groans of the dying “My, my,” interrupted Blintz, that swell, my friend. You sure 1 ain Blunder- ain't more than fifty grat “More?” bellowed s. “You hungry dog! By the scor butic second mate of ‘Las Tres Her astilla’— bi manas «le comicbooks.com