Life, 1926-07-22 · page 5 of 37
Life — July 22, 1926 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces from Life magazine's humor section. **"Universal Prosperity"** (top): A poem by Berton Braley mocking 1920s consumerism. It sarcastically catalogs evidence of wealth: doctors owning Rolls-Royces, lawyers driving Mercedes, plumbers in Cadillacs. The joke targets the era's material excess and the absurdity of working-class professionals suddenly affording luxury goods—likely reflecting post-WWI economic booms and installment-buying culture. **"A Bread-and-Butter Letter"**: A humorous complaint about houseguest behavior, depicting social etiquette violations. **"The Modern Hick"** and **"Strongly Patriotic"**: Brief comedic dialogues poking fun at rural Americans and nationalist sentiment. The illustration (top-left) shows fashionably-dressed 1920s figures, reinforcing the era's focus on modern consumer culture and social pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Vactful Terence: propreD YER SLEEVE BAND, Lavy! A Bread-and-Butter Letter AR Mrs. McTavisit: I am afraid I was awfully drunk during the week-end I spent as your guest at “Swashout Hollow,” and I am enclosing my check for $59.5 cover br As a matter of fact I think e iy was pretty well plushed, don’t you, honestly? Person- lly, I think your daughter 1 drink more and look worse than any girl I've ever met. I forgot to tip the servants, by the way, but I must say they were damned vst of the time. Your house is hideous and your husband hasn’t the manners of a hod carrier, but 1 am looking forward to visiting you again on the chance of recovering my grandfather's cuff links, which | have a suspicion your second man snitched off my bureau. I hope I didn’t go too far Life Universal Prosperity HE country’s rich as rich can be, I A fact so plain you cannot doubt me. No matter where I go, I see The evidences all about me. It’s proven by such things as* these: My doctor has a Rolls, well lacquered, My lawyer sports a Mercedes, My dentist owns a gleaming Packard. My plumber drives a Cadillac, My grocer has a swell Pierce-Arrow, My painter goes to work and back Within a Lancia, long and narrow. My barber and my bootblack, too, Have purchased brand-new Marmons, lately. Our housemaid drives a Franklin through The city traffic quite sedately. Prosperity! It’s here, all right; The garbage man has bought a Jewett, The newsboy has a Willys-Knight. Isn't it great that they can do it? My laundress drives a Chevrolet When she has washing to deliver, And I—O happy, happy day— Have made first payment on a Flivver! Berton Braley. The Modern Hick “NTO, thanks,” he said, plucking the wisp of hay from his hair; “I won't buy the Brooklyn Bridge nor give you a five-dollar deposit on the Woolworth Build- ing, and I’m not interested in gold bricks or counter- feiting machines. I came into town to sell some old Scotch I found down home yesterday when I was cleanin’ out the cellar. It’s forty rs old and I'm sellin’ it for forty dollars a quart, and—" But the confidence man was already counting out the money. Strongly Patriotic E: Doesn't she use Sux: I should say so—she’s a regular one-hun- dred-per-scented American. a lot of perfume? with any of the girls, but I ly don’t think anybody could at that kind of a party. Thanking you for asking me and trusting that the amount enclosed for breakage will replace some of the cheap bric-a-brac with decent stuff, Sincerely yours,— Lloyd Mayer. Will It Come to This? BASHFUL BACHELOR: I’m very happy to meet you. Too-Poputar Bette: “Lucky” is EVER THE PROFESSIONAL the word, old thing. Actress: wey! SHOOT THAT SPOTLIGHT DOWN STAGE CENTER, PLEASE! comicbooks.com