Life, 1926-11-18 · page 16 of 44
Life — November 18, 1926 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains two separate items: **Top illustration** satirizes the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which introduced American audiences to "La Belle Fatima" and her belly dance (the "Couche-Couche"). The cartoon mocks how this exotic dance captivated male visitors far more than female attendees, and how a tin-pan alley song capitalizing on the craze flooded the market. The verse notes a "simple country maid" never experienced such entertainment before the fair. **Bottom section** presents two brief comedic sketches: "Two Good Losers Have an Accident" depicts gentlemen handling a minor collision with grace and humor, exchanging cordial wishes. The second sketch shows domestic banter between husband and wife about dinner timing and bathing. Both exemplify period humor about masculine courtesy and marital dynamics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Gay Nineties THE WORLD'S FAIR AT CHICAGO INTRODUCED TO A STARTLED WORLD LA BELLE FATIMA, THE ORIGINAL “LITTLE L. WITH THE MAH-VELL-10US MUSCLE CONTROL” IN HER FAMOUS COUCHIE-CoUCHIE—. DANCE WHICH SOMEHOW PROVED MUCH MORE POPULAR WITH THE MALE POPULATION THAN WITH HER OWN SEX. AND THE TIN-PAN ALLEY OP THE PERIOD CASHED IN ON THIS POPULARITY WITH THE SONG: “She never saw the ‘Streets of Cairo, To the ‘Midway’ she had never been; She never danced the ‘Couchie-Couchie,? Simple little country maid.” Two Good Losers Have an Accident “Sorry, old top, I was going too fast. It was all my fault.” “Nonsense! I should have been looking where I was going. I insist I’m to blam “Oh, very well. But I smashed your mudguard.” “Don’t worry about that. It’s nothing. But you'll let me pay for the damage I have: a IFE: Dinner is about ready. How long before “Certainly not! Never mention a thing like that or you'll be out of the tub? I'll surely lose my temper.” “You insist?” “Absolutely.” “Well, good luck to you, my friend.” “Same to you. I hope we meet again.” Bill Sykes. Hussanp: Two more stanzas, dearie. comicbooks.com