Life, 1926-12-02 · page 32 of 81
Life — December 2, 1926 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces from an early 20th-century Christmas issue. **"We've Got to Draw the Line Somewhere"** (main article with illustration): A couple debates gift-giving obligations, progressively crossing relatives off their list—Aunt Hettie, Uncle Bob, their furnace man and laundress—trying to establish where to limit expenses. The satire mocks middle-class anxiety about Christmas gift-giving obligations and the rationalization for excluding working-class employees from holiday generosity, which the narrator ironically defends as avoiding "pauperizing" them. **"Terribly—Awfully"** (poem by Berton Braley): A humorous critique of 1920s flapper culture, using repetitive "terribly/awfully" phrasing to describe young women as scandalously dressed, bold, and unconventional—while ultimately conceding she's "terribly pretty / And awfully nice." **Remaining items**: Brief jokes about radio speakers and a suitor impressing a farmer by flattering his golf skills—mild, conventional humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LEELA Ctristmes J, i [eS Lumber Moe “o’wan! t's ARTIFICIAL FUR!” ‘““We’ve Got to Draw the Line Somewhere”’ " HAT about a gift for Aunt Hettie?” “Why not send her a photograph of the baby?” “But if we do that we'll have to give Aunt Kate one, too; and then we won't have any for ourselves, after your family and mine each get two.” “Well, for my part, I don’t see why we can’t cross her off; send her a card. “Might as well. We've got to draw the line somewhere. Put a line through Aunt Hettie. Now, how about Uncle Bob?” “Oh, do you think we've got to give him something?” “Well, I'd hate not to; you know how Mother is about Uncle Bob. We'd have a hard time explaining. I'd thought of a fishing reel or a bird n. “But if we include him we've got to include Aunt Hettie.” “All right; put Uncle Bob down for the gun and I'll try to think of something for Aunt Hettie.” “Now, let’s see; had you thought of the furnace man and the laun- dress? Last year we gave them some money in an envelope.” “Look here; we've got to draw the line somewhere. And I don't believe in pauperizing people and hurting their feelings by offering them moncy !” “Well, neither do 1; we'll cross them off.” “That's right; besides, we've got to draw the line...” “T should say we have.” “Now, let’s see; what Cousin George?” McCready Huston. about CAPABLE as our radio inventors seem to be, they have yet to give us a satisfactory loud speakeasy. Terribly—Awfully O# gaze on the Flapper, Yes, give her a slant, The garments that wrap her Are awfully scant; A swift little filly Who, people assert, Is terribly silly And avfully pert. Conventions grown mossy She's likely to smash, She’s terribly saucy And awfully rash; Not given to caring What people may say, She's terribly daring And awfully gay. She's terribly freaky And avfully bold And terribly cheeky, Or so we are told; But Ict’s make our ditty Frank, honest, precise— She's terribly pretty And awfully nice! Berton Braley. Bearding the Lion UITOR: There's only one thing I'd rather accomplish than mar- ry your daughter, sir. Farner (warily): What's that? Svurror: Handle a niblick the way you do, sir. Fatuer: Aw—shucks—well, come on out to lunch. “DONCHA BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS ER NOTHIN’?” “SURE 1 DOES, JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, BUT AFTER THAT I ALWAYS BEGINS TUH HAVE MY DOUBTS.” comicbooks.com