Life, 1927-02-17 · page 15 of 34
Life — February 17, 1927 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several short comedic pieces satirizing early 20th-century upper-class society: **"Just Between Us Girls"** mocks wealthy socialites' obsession with exclusive events, name-dropping lavish venues (the Ritz, MetaVishes balls), and conspicuous consumption. The lengthy monologue parodies how society women discuss their social standing through references to expensive cars, champagne, and exclusive parties—suggesting superficiality and social pretension. **"Visual Appeal,"** "Fairy Story," "Helping Herb," and "Nothing Final"** are brief humor pieces about romance, medical advice, and marriage expectations, using wordplay and gentle domestic comedy typical of the era. The cartoons accompanying these pieces use ink sketches depicting everyday social situations: bank transactions, driving, and couples—illustrating middle and upper-class life. The satire targets vanity, materialism, and the artificial social hierarchies of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OCIETY, my dear, is SIMply going to the DOGS because I mean it is just a lot of VULgar people who are practicably RUNning soCIEty NOWadays, I mean, because ACtually, my dear, NObody with y BIR’ r H BREEDing is ANY body in soCI Y peas it is just how much MONey TS, do you know what | MEAN? dear, I simply Ney ER felt so SORry for ANYbody in my LIFE as I did for SYLvia BRETton the other NIGHT at her coming-OU T party, I mean, because HONestly, my dear, there was simply NObody THERE because I mean simply EVerybody was at the MeTAVishes’ HUGE BALL at the RITZ and practicably NObody stayed a MINute at the BRETtons’ because I mean they were not even serving chamPAG at the BR ‘ons’, my dear, and at the MecTAVishes’ they were giving aWAY LINcoln ROAD- sters as FAVORS—can you BEAR it, my dear?—but I mean they ACtually WERE and I mean I was SIMply SICK about it on SYLvia’s account, I mean, because I SIMply aDORE her and everything but I mean I ACtually couldn't WAIT to get to the MeTAV- ishes’, my dear, because I mean they were SERVing simply GALLONS of chamPAGNE and sort of CARElessly handing OUT these LINCOLN ROAD- STERS to EVERYBODY. Well, I mean I've simply NEVer HEARD of such FRIGHTfully VULgar os- tenTAtion in my LIFE, my dear, but T mean WHO would stay at the BRETtons’ when you could get a perfectly diVINE CAR and all the chamPAGNE you could DRINK at the FOUL MeTAVishes’ ?” Lloyd Mayer. Visual Appeal OCTOR: You must avoid all forms of excitement. Mate Patient: But, doctor, can’t leven look at them on the street? Fairy Story NCE there was a young man who said, “When I get a hundred dollars a week I'll be satisfied.” And Bill: when he did he was. Fastidious Hold-Up Man: LENDA: NEW BILLS, PLEASE. Helping Herb ride downtown in my car. Herpert Gienpa: ‘O they Shanks awfully. AND LET ME HAVE IT ALL IN I thought it would save time for you to First would you put on the chains for me? Nothing Final are really married?” “Why—er—of course it will take her a few years to find out whether she was coerced.” HAS TOM LEARNED TO PLAY THE SAXOPHONE? Jill: IT’S HARD TO TELL. comicbooks.com