Life, 1926-12-02 · page 15 of 81
Life — December 2, 1926 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct items: **Left side:** A poem titled "Sing Me to Sleep with an Old-Fashioned Malady" by Howcart Cushman, followed by a brief comedic exchange called "No Favorites" between characters Bobbie and Belle. The poem satirizes how modern society openly discusses medical and sexual topics that Victorian propriety once concealed—appendicitis, vitamins, and frank discussions of "sex" now feature in casual conversation and children's talk. Cushman expresses both embarrassment and resignation to this modern frankness. **Right side:** A full-page advertisement for the Add-a-Pearl company promoting pearl necklaces as Christmas gifts for girls. The ad encourages parents to start their daughters with a small strand, adding pearls yearly as she grows into "womanhood." The page juxtaposes Victorian sexual prudishness (the poem's subject) with emerging consumerist gift-giving culture marketed to children.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sing Me to Sleep with an Old-Fashioned Malady THERE used to be a paucity Of mental curiosity Regarding facts pertaining to the mysteries of life. It was an error tactical To contemplate the practical; Such parley wasn’t countenanced, not even with your wife, No lady of propriety Could mention in society An ailment more engrossing than the chilblains or la grippe; And mention of the physical Drew supercilious, quizzical Expressions, not to mention nervous biting of the lip. But now to modern men, disease Is popular; appendices And streptococci mingle in the better table-talk; While folk of modest salaries Are learned in the calories, And children prate of vitamines be- fore they learn to walk. Our young, ere they begin to mate, In speculations intimate Indulge, they speak unblushingly of various facts of sex; Nor violate amenitie By observations when at case That border on the Freudian, with (Edipus as rex. It's not for me to criticize The modern trend a bit, I size It up as quite salubrious, for I am not a crank, But oh, how they embarrass me! Their knowing glances harass me, These young intelligentsia with pre- dilections frank. It nay be thought high hat o’ me To cherish my anatomy, But I must own my feelings have been always governed so. I crave the sweet felicity Preceding this publicity, The unenlightened privacy our fath- crs used to know. Howard Cushman. No Favorites OBBIE: I don’t like her—she cut nie once. : Bette: Don’t mind that—she even does that to her best whisky. ITH the increasing number of Wet candidates elected to Con- gress, the Anti-Saloon League may be forced to raise its rates for Speeches in favor of Prohibition and the Volstead Act. This Christmas ~ Start an Cdd-a-pear2 necklace for her COmNUIne ORIENTAL PEAaLs ) ICTURE your little girl's delight this Christmas—when you present her with asmall strand of beautiful genuine pearls. Then look farther ahead and see her in young womanhood —the proud possessor of a mag- nificent pearl necklace. This is the Add-a-Pearl idea. Each year, on gift occasions, you or others, add new pearls to the string. It grows more precious with time. Make your little girl happy—at Christmas. Correspondence invited from Dealers only Buy additional pearls for your {dd-a-Pearl rcklace on this card. It guarantees perfection. THE ADD-A-PEARL CO. 108 North State Street, Chicago comicbooks.com