Life, 1927-05-12 · page 13 of 43
Life — May 12, 1927 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct humor pieces: 1. **"Overheard (in the Purple Owl Gift Shoppe)"** - A monologue by Gracian M. Kelly satirizing department store clerks who oversell cheap merchandise using breathless enthusiasm and affected language ("Exquisite," "Terribly clever"). The etched glass trays at two dollars are presented as novelties despite being mass-produced trinkets. 2. **"Layoff First/Artist's Model"** - A brief joke about a model refusing to pose, claiming she doesn't "feel in the mood for work." 3. **"Designs a Comic Strip"** by Mart Zowie - Mockery of fashion illustration and comic strip conventions, showing stick-figure fashion poses with minimal artistic effort. 4. **"Fifteen-Swol"** - A telephone operator joke about switchboard confusion. The overall tone mocks American consumer culture, retail pretension, and low-effort commercial art.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Li Overheard In the Luzple Ovl ift Shoppe PP “ ES, these are etched glass trays. And entirely Y new. Aren't they dainty and colorful? A sparkle about them. I have amethyst, garnet, crystal and emerald. Aren't they unusual! Only two dollars—just what one usually cares to put into the little bridge prize. Yes, two dollars apiece. They’re so unusual. Lovely, aren't they? Exquisite. See how they take the light. Etched glass. Terribly clever. ...Yes, aren't they tiny? And so dainty. Unusual. Ent new. Etched glass. Who etched ‘em? Why—ah...” Gracian M., Kelly. Layoff FIRST ARTIST'S MODEL: Ain't ya gonna pose to-day, Mayme? He: Darling, you are the eighth wonder of the world. She (indignantly): cAnd who, may I ask, are the ee. the nude for other seven? work, somehow. ; a night- Fifteen-Owo / club dance +e - ot he be? floor it is some- 4” RATE VOICE: My phone has rung three times and = w of ; pair of row limbs” sisves difficult to there’s been nobody on the wire. [obs., are aic J, published for no distinguish whose Orrrator: Sorry, but we're playing cribbage and particular reason. is the under-dog. pegging the score on the switchboard. Designs a Gomic Atzip comicbooks.com