Life, 1927-04-07 · page 11 of 59
Life — April 7, 1927 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct humor pieces from what appears to be the 1920s: **"Sea Fever"** is a poem riffing on Masefield's famous work, humorously listing desires for seaside leisure—bridge games, shuffleboard, ocean-view dancing, and college boys—rather than authentic seafaring adventure. **"Not So Bad"** mocks a gambler's luck: a character wins fifty dollars on a horse named "Nag," then loses it all, prompting darkly comic banter about accepting defeat. **"The Man Who Writes French Composition Books"** satirizes a pedantic author by depicting him as an impractical intellectual who pulls his car into a garage, then delivers absurdly formal, numbered instructions about automotive maintenance—poking fun at educational manuals' disconnect from real-world common sense. The illustrations use exaggerated, cartoonish styles typical of 1920s satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Liffe Sea Fever A Flapper’s Interpretation of Masefield I MUST go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is the Belgenland, and a star to steer her by, And a Ritz café, and a Roman bath, and a bar on the upper deck, And a quiet place near the wheelhouse where the boys and I can neck, Oh, all I want is a game of bridge, and a book, and a cup of tea, And a rowdy game of shuffleboard in a white skirt flow- ing free, And a dance in the main companionway, with the ocean flat as glass, In the arms of a group of college boys, traveling second- class. Oh, « salt tub in the morning, and the Ocean Times to read; And some bouillon in my steamer-chair, whenever I feel the need; A porpoise or two to look at, an affair with a fellow- rover, And a boat-train waiting at Cherbourg, when the six- day trip is over! Norman R. Jaffray. Not So Bad MATEUR GAMBLER: I've cleaned up big! Flying Nag won and I had fifty dollars on him! Let's sce, now. What were the odds? Bookmaker: Fifty to one, you lucky devil! “Oh, was that all? Well, give me the dollar.” M2SsEs (about to read the Commandments): Stop me if you've heard this one. yin Lifer No, 1861: cnoow sENsk 0’ HUMOR, I CALLS IT —SHOWIN’ THEM TRAVEL PICTURES AT THE MOVIES IN A PLACE LIKE THIS, Catechism Mr. North: ank you GOING TO FOLLOW My SUGGES- TION ABOUT OUR VACATION? Mrs. North: No. wat pip you suaGEst? The Man Who Writes French Composition Books Pulls Up at a Garage on an Auto Tour “dd GOOD morning. Yesterday it rained, but to-day it is clear. (2) Have you oil, gasoline, and air? (3) The water in my radiator is hot. (+) If the hills had been shorter my engine would have been cooler. (5) The large tire on the back wheel is flatter than the >] smaller tire on the front wheel. (6) e The detour which I have traveled was both long and difficult. (7) See, I have broken my beautiful springs and my mudguard also. (8) Is the book which is in your back pocket a blue one? (9) Show me the correct road. (10) I shall not go back the way I came. (11) Since you have no automobile, I shall give you mine. (12) I shall return to my home by the road of iron.” W.W. Scott. Don’t Ask Me Another! No. 1 Inquisitive Clara, the Questionnaire Fiend: wuat MARINE POLYP 18 SOMETIMES CONSIDERED A GREAT NUISANCE? (Answer on page 47) “RHE new = spring gowns will follow flapper lines,” says a fashion note. Follow them? They'll positively ad- here to them! comicbooks.com