Life, 1926-08-19 · page 23 of 37
Life — August 19, 1926 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical poems and cartoons mocking various social conventions of the era. **"Sempiternal Feminine"** by Newman Levy is a poem suggesting that vanity—particularly women powdering their noses—transcends all circumstances, from Eve in Eden to Marie Antoinette facing the guillotine. The satire targets women's supposed preoccupation with appearance even in dire situations, comparing historical and biblical figures to suggest this trait is eternal and universal among women. **The cartoons below** depict everyday humor: a woman "up to her neck in work" managing household tasks; a "Back Stage" scene showing theater workers; and brief comic dialogues like "No Proxies" (a man claiming independence from a wife) and "Contagion" (jokes about childhood and drinking). These pieces reflect early 20th-century gender stereotypes common to *Life* magazine's satirical humor—mocking women's vanity, marital dynamics, and social pretensions through exaggeration and wordplay.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sempiternal Feminine To thunder roared loud over ider Twas the voice of the Lord in the wind, And Adam_ stood silent, his head bowed in shame, Naked and silent he stood in his shame, While the Voice sternly spoke, “You have sinned The clouds gathered dark over Eden, And Paradise drew to its close; Then Adam gazed sadly on all he had lost, While Eve paused to powder her nose. The tumbril rolled slowly through Paris, And a queen sadly rode through the crowd. Harshly they mocked her, reviled her and jeered, But with queen-like neanor she smiled as they jeered, And looked down on them, scorn- ful and proud. Bravely she mounted the scaffold; Above her the guillotine rose. As the angry blade trembled, all ready to fall, Marie paused to powder her nose. Thus has it been through the ages; Vanity makes them all kin. Jezebel, Phryne, Elizabeth, Eve, Fair ones and ugly, all daughters of Eve, Sisters alike to their skin. And so to the end of the story, When the tramp of the Judgment Day blows, Ere the last woman rises to glory She will pause till she powders her nose. Newman Levy. Contagion ATY, aged seven, had just heard of the new baby in the neigh- borhood and anxious to go to the hospital to see it. They told her she might see the baby but not its moth- er. “Oh,” said Katy, “I guess it’s just as well—I might catch it.” OTHER: Aren't you ashamed of yourself—coming home half- intoxicated ? Yvon Yes, Mother, but Tom carries such a little flask. UP TO HER NECK IN WORK That Is All I Ask AM absolutely sure she wears them. I am confident that no metal can touch me. I do not doubt that it is good to the last drop. I am certain that a few cents make a whale of a difference. I am willing to bet my last dollar that it floats. I am thoroughly convinced that it is time to retire. I realize the necessity of keeping that schoolgirl complexion. But I am now near the end of my auto trip and I would like to see « little scenery. Lawson Paynter. No Proxies Are you married? No, I make all iny QQ Back Stage THE SCENE SHIFTER ASKS THE CHORUS BOYS FOR A LIGHT. comicbooks.com