Life, 1926-08-12 · page 31 of 36
Life — August 12, 1926 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains several short humorous anecdotes satirizing early 20th-century social behavior and gender relations. **"That Dreaded Epithet"** mocks a female customer obsessed with appearance. After rejecting multiple shoe styles, she finally complains that her chosen oxfords make her look "sensible"—viewing this as an insult. The salesman's retort—"But why should you mind if you're not?"—suggests she *is* sensible, delivering a backhanded insult. The joke ridicules women's vanity and prioritization of fashion over practicality. **"Well Brought Up"** uses a child's correction to mock parental discipline. When praised for cleaning toys, young Bobby corrects the visitor: his mother threatens *punishment* if he doesn't clean, not reward if he does—suggesting negative motivation supersedes positive reinforcement. Other brief jokes target workplace inefficiency, marital expectations, and bureaucratic absurdity (the "Dr. Cadman" piece mocks nonsensical educational answers). The page reflects period attitudes: patronizing views of women, children as amusing innocents, and workplace frustrations presented as universal comedy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
B At 29 Valuation Pravwaront: And what did Duram- bowsky, the critic, say about my play? Faiexv: He said that he had certainly had his tmoney's worth, “Nothing else?” “Oh, yes, he asked me to thank you for the two complimentary. tick sent hin Le Journal Amusant (Paris). Well Brought Up “Tut's a nice boy,” said the visitor, as little Bobby picked up his scattered toys. “I suppose your mother has prom- ised you something if you clean up the room?” “If [ don't!” he corrected. —Christian Register. Office Boy: Lavy To sxx You, sin. That Dreaded Epithet Box after box of shoes had been brought and displayed to the customer by the patient salesman, Finally, after refusing patent leather because it was too hot and kidskin because it scuffed so easily, the suburbanite tried on a pair of conservative black calfskin oxfords, She viewed her trim feet in the mirror and sighed with disapproval. “It's the heels,” she said. “They're so flat and low, They make me look so sensible.” “But why should you mind if you're not?” comforted the perspiring -sales- man, “But that's just it,” compl harassed woman, “You see, I am.’ —New York Sun. Distrait Employer: veut. ner va EN- Garp, Office Boy: Tuat’s witat sie’s come ABOUT, SIR, YOU WERE TO HAVE MARRIED HER TO-DAY. —Weekly Telegraph (London). ta with tablespoontul Abbott's Bitters a d palatable. Sample Bitters by mail, 25 C.W. Abbott & Co. Baltimore, Ma. “Five Minutes’ Walk"* Lavo Acext: Did you make a sale with those people you drove to the estate? Go-cerrer: No, I was arrested for between the station and the allotient.—Smith’s Weekly (Sydney). Fame—“My husband taught me to drive without employing sarcasm.” In a Pinch, use ALLEN’S FOOT-EASE Could It Be Dr. Cadman? ‘Questiox—How many pores are there in juman body? 7. C, AM, xswer—The velocity of sound through varies with the temperature of the air, ally reckoned at 1,130 feet per second."—Boston paper. Anortitrr excellent answer is: Well, wp tltmors Bik yes—and no!—New Yorker. Lie yublished every Thursday, simultaneously in the United States, Great B Canada and British Possessions. Title registered in U.S. Patent Office. $5.00 a year in advance. Additional postage to foreign countries in the Postal Onion, $1.60 a year; to Canada, 80 cents, Back numbers cannot be supplied. t and illustrations in Live are copyrighted. For Reprint Rights Britain apply, to Live, Rolls House, Breams Buildings, Fetter don, E. England, rade supplied from Live's London, Office,, Rolls House, 3 gs. London, E. C. Canadian distributor, "The American News Company, Ltd., 386-388 St. James Street, Montreal, Canada. No contributions will be returned unless accompanied by stomped ond addressed envelope. Live does not hold itself responsible for the loss or non-return of unsolicited contributions. Notice of change of address should reach this office two weeks prior to the date of issue to be affected. Yeobel: DapbY, I8N’T IT ODD TITOSE STIX DRESSES T ORDERED BY MAIL HAVEN'T COME YET? Her Father: mayne You rorcot TO ENCLOSE A TWO-CENT STAMP, MY DEAR. ESTABLISHED 1818 Clothes for Midsummer Sport Send for Brooxs’s Miscellany BOSTON PALMBEACH NEWPORT LITTLE BUILDING PLAZA BUILDING AUORAIN BUILOING Tatment con. Bonston County Roae 220 Bcuswe Avene comicbooks.com