Life, 1926-07-29 · page 14 of 37
Life — July 29, 1926 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains social commentary on 1920s American culture, particularly targeting women's behavior and propriety. **"I Am Desolated"** is a personal essay by someone (possibly Marion E. Burns, based on attribution) defending their reputation after public criticism, explaining their exuberance stems from nervousness rather than arrogance. **"The Shanghai Jester"** is a brief humor piece about someone commenting on hot weather while smoking opium. **"Why He Called"** is a four-panel comic strip showing a man courting a woman. The joke's punchline—"I'm terribly warm! / So I've heard"—suggests the woman has a reputation for promiscuity, implying the man's flattery about her warmth references her loose morals rather than the temperature. The adjacent "Protect Our Girls!" advertisement warns mothers about daughters adopting "false modesty" and inappropriate behavior, reflecting period anxieties about changing women's social roles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“witat! DIVORCED—AND ONLY MARRIED A MONTH?” “YEP—1 TOLD HER SHE DIDN’T KNOW HIM W NOUGIE TO DIVORCE MIM, BUT SH WOULDN'T List: I Am Desolated HAVE been requested to take part in a program to be broad- cast by a group of noted artists over the radio. Needless to | have accepted, for it is a signal honor; my inclusion I consider a * recognition of my genius. However, my ¢ accepting ha ery moment since been filled by a great, a very real and terrible grief. My family and my friends, all, have remarked volubly upon my strangely lacking exuberance of spirit, which should really bubble to overflowing within me because of the flattering invitation. I have no faintest fluttering of fear for my success in this, my in- itial appearance before the | vast phantom audience, nor is my down- cast mien to be attributed to any sudden rush of temperament. — It is none of these, and still I am heart- sick. The Thing that overwhelmingly stifles all the elation which should normally be mine is the dark shadow brought by my knowledge that I will be unable to hear for my- self just how my voice sounds over the radio. Marion E. Burns. The Shanghai Jester He’ do you like this climate?” we asked John Chinaman, as “ we handed him our laundry check. Chile to-day and hot tamale,” he replied, as he blew an opium ring over a clothespin, Protect Our Girls! Enousn Grats Learning Oat! vt Mamoa’s Kyer LONDON P.) —Bad language of the modern mother is responsi- ble for a great deal of loose speech among school girls, Miss Mary Mori- son, Principal of the Francis Hol- land School for girls, told the Annual Conference of the Headiis. tresses’ Association here. —New York World. RE AMERICAN MOTHERS NEGLECTING THEIR DUTY? Are the SOCIAL CAREERS of America’s YOUNG WOMEN boeing blasted by the FALSE MODESTY of their MAMMAS? Is YOUR daughter coming to your KNEE to learn the VITAL WORDS of LIFE, or is she EAVESDROPPING behind « LI- LAC BUSH while a COARSE MALE in the STREET beyond GARBLES those VITAL WORDS while he changes a TIRE? AMERICA’S GIRLISH PRO- FANITY MUST BE KEPT PURE. And our COUSINS across the ATLANTIC may have an OBLI- GATION to DISCHARGE. If BRITISH women know any NEW ONES, let them REMEMBER that BLOOD is thicker than WA- TER, and RUSH a BOATLOAD to AMERICAN MOTHERS. The CURSING of the average GIRL in this great REPUBLIC is disgracefully MONOTONOUS. American GIRLHOOD necds NEW OATHS, and they should be MEMORIZED at MAMMA'S KNEE, Gerald Cosgrove. Why He Called GHE: I'm terribly warm! He: So I've heard. comicbooks.com