Life, 1926-09-23 · page 7 of 40
Life — September 23, 1926 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains several satirical pieces: **"Sonnet for a Pro"** mocks golfers obsessed with technique and form while unable to hit the ball far—a critique of over-analysis paralyzing performance. **"How to Get an Oyster Out of Its Shell"** offers absurdist humor about oyster behavior, written in deadpan style by W.W. Scott. **"The Powers That Ain't"** references real 1920s politics, noting which nations have accepted American World Court membership reservations. The accompanying cartoon shows a gossipy couple—likely satirizing how political news spreads through social channels. **"Easy Game"** and **"Cupping the Pocketbook"** are brief, cynical one-liners typical of the magazine's humor format. The bottom cartoon caption involves marital infidelity humor—a common satirical target of the era. Overall, the page exemplifies *Life*'s blend of social commentary, wordplay, and gentle mockery of contemporary American life and politics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(somewhat over half-fare): were COMES THE CONDUCTOR, MA. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, JOUNNIE, START SUCKING THIS LOLLIPOP. Son Mother: AND How to Get an Oyster Out of Its Shell ELL oyster, if male, shell is baggy at knees. If T female, shell is out of date. Oyster will emerge. Show oyster Burton Holmes Travel Picture. Oyster will wish to see world, Will leave shell. Join Marines. Play “Valencia” all day next door to oyster. will make for open se: Suggest to oyster artistic way to renovate shell. Oyster will act on suggestion. Will go broke. Become poor fish. Lose shell. Inform oyster it is bivalve mollusk of genus Ostrea. Oyster will quit shell in rage. Put oyster on Statler Hotel mail- ing list. Oyster will succumb. Give up shell, Live at nearest Statler. Induce undesirable persons to in- habit shell with oyster. — Social prestige of oyster at stake. Oyster will move. Place small fork in oyster. to mouth. Swallow. W. W. Scott. Oyster Lift Easy Game HiUG: Le Gunnas Better try holding up the summer girls com- ing home with engagement rings. 's rob a bank. Cupping the Pocketbook “IN the old days, doctors used to every disease.” “Well, for that matter, they still do.” “1 MATE TO BE A GO WIEN more clothes are worn, SAW YOUR HU the flapper will not wear them, Sonnet for a Pro OU praise my golf form, saying it is good; y wrists, my arms, my elbows, everything, Zven my freckles function as they should, And yet I get no distance with my swing. I measure every move, control cach nerve, Take time and caution every time I ple I work to make the smallest muscle serve And yet the ball stops not ten yards away. You say, “Like this,” and with abandoned case, As carelessly as though it were a game Instead of some fine art or dread disease, You drive. The ball shoots outward like a flame. My care before your case is as the dust is, For this is golf; and something else is justice. James Kevin McGuinness. Covered “MOHERE,” said the motorist as he attached the sign, “Herrin, IIL,” to his front and rear license plates. “Now I'd like to see anybody overcharge me for any- thing.” The Powers That Ain’t THE nations now accepting the American reservations to World Court membership are Luxemburg, Albani. Santo Domingo, Cuba, Liberia, Uruguay and Gre Ruritania, Pilsen and Graustark are yet to be from. Pp, BUT I THINK YOU OUGHT TO KNOW THAT MY HUSBAND BAND KISSING HIS STENOGRAPHER THE OTHER DA “OH—THAT’S PERFECTLY ALL RIGHT, DEAR! THEY’RE ENGAGED.” comicbooks.com