Life, 1927-01-20 · page 22 of 34
Life — January 20, 1927 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of 1920s Life magazine: **"The Milliner Speaks"** — A poem by B.Y. Williams defending hat design. A milliner argues that women buy hats matching their inner character ("soul"), not objective suitability, explaining why her creations sometimes look ridiculous on certain customers. **"Provocation"** — A brief joke about a man named Simpson and Nicaragua, with an illustration showing a domestic scene where a husband asks his wife if they should go home to see their son Arnold off to school. **"Just Between Us Girls"** — A satirical monologue (by Lloyd Mayer) mocking young women's obsession with 1920s dance crazes—the Charleston and Black Bottom. The speaker complains about dance lessons, her inability to master these moves, and criticizes younger girls for dancing in "vulgar" ways, using exaggerated capitalization for emphasis throughout. **"In the Never-Never Land"** — A whimsical story fragment by W.B.R. about social introductions at what appears to be a dance or social event, poking fun at predictable social rituals. The page satirizes 1920s social conventions, particularly women's fashion consciousness and jazz-age dance culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Milliner Speaks 1“ an artiste—my hats are designed For certain faces, types, and shades of hair. I've writhed to sce a stolid matron wear The bonnet made with “sweet sixteen” in mind! I've found it difficult to be serene When Amazons bought hats of pastel hues, Or when a little timid blonde would choose The turban planned for Egypt's dark-eyed queen! But I have learned a deeper, subtler truth: When my creations seem grotesque and droll Perched on the heads for which they were not planned I smile with patience at the sights uncouth— A woman buys her hat to match her soul. If we could see the souls we'd understand. B. Y. Williams. Provocation mpson; let's duck.” 1 off of him?” ked him the other day what 1 business and he told me.” “nuT, MY DEAR, DON’T YOU THINK YOURSELF THAT WE OUGHT TO BE HOME IN TIME TO SEE ARNOLD OFF To scHooL?” SUST BETWEEN US GIRLD “fy “V ELL, my dear, I’m all hot and BOTHERED—I mean I’m ACtually LIVID because I mean I simply canNOT do any of these SWOOPY and DIPPY dances like the Black BOTtom because I mean I have been taking LESsons for simply AGES but I mean | am HONéestly not making a BIT of PROGress because I mean I am simply not LIMber enough or something to do those SWOOPY and DIPPY things because I mean I ACtually think you have to be REALLY very LIMber or something to DO them—I mean I HONéestly DO. And I mean I have been really WASTING simply a FORtune on these L ons, my dear, without learning a THING because I mean I was ACtually inVEIgled into TAKING these obNOXious I s by this MAN, my dear, who is ACtually ve i simply diVINE DANcer and everything because I mean he perSUADed me to TAKE these LESsons because | mean he PROMised me that if I would TAKE them for a MONTH or so I would be better than GILda GRAY —can you BEAR it, my dear? Well, ANYw: y dear, I have been taking these LESsons for at LEAST TWO months, my dear, and I can only do the CHARLESton with ONE FOOT, which I mean I think is ACtually very dePRESSing, because I mean it is HONestly very disCOURaging because I mean Black BOTtom is really HEAPS HARDer to do than the CHARLESton and if I cannot learn the CHARLESton except with ONE FOOT I am PRACticably SURE I cannot learn Black BOTtom because I mean it is HON- estly EVER so much more SWOOPY and DIPPY, do you know what I MEAN? Well, ANYways, my dear, I think it is HONestly disGUSTing the way some of these YOUNGER girls dance the CHARLESton and Black BOTtom because I mean I ACtually think the way they DO it is really very VULgar and disGUSTing I mean they just WRIGgle in a very sug- GESTive way and I mean I ACtually don’t think their MOTHERS ought to alLOW them to DO those kind of VULgar DANces—I mean I ACtually DON’T!” Lloyd Mayer. In the Never-Never Land NCE upon a time the Perennial Usher glided up to the Nice Stag and grasped the Nice Stag firmly just above the left elbow, as Perennial Ushers are wont to do. Said the Perennial Usher to the Nice Stag: ‘I want you to meet Miss Farnum from Milton. She's a Perfect Peach and I know you'll like her.” Whereupon the Per- ennial Usher introduced the Nice Stag to Miss Farnum of Milton, who proved to be a Perfect Peach. IW. B. R. mana gent quest First man mire aim i litera with “Now of lit “T hight; the brute. intel self throu; and ¢ “y, comicbooks.com