Life, 1927-05-12 · page 42 of 43
Life — May 12, 1927 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page combines an AT&T corporate advertisement with satirical small-town gossip under the heading "The Jimtown Weekly." **The Advertisement:** AT&T President Walter S. Gifford promotes the unified "Bell System," emphasizing reliable nationwide telephone service free from errors and delays—a standard corporate pitch positioned as serving the nation's interests. **The Satire:** The facing column mocks small-town life through fictional gossip items. Key jokes include: - A wedding announcement absurdly describing the groom's clothing in violent language ("violent deaths resulting") - References to the Ku Klux Klan's "Karnival" as casual local entertainment - A preacher whose sermon about drinking's evils causes the congregation to appear drunk - Surreal items (a kitchen table arrested by sheriff, spiritualist medium's troubles) - A final item about Sandy Campbell being charged $78 for a wrong-number call to London—ironically placed opposite AT&T's promise of affordable, reliable service **The Point:** The juxtaposition satirizes the disconnect between corporate promises of modern efficiency and the chaotic reality of American small-town life, where even basic services like long-distance calls remain expensive and error-prone.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN ADVERTISEMENT OF THE AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY Tuere are twenty-five Bell Companies, but there is but one Bell System—and but one Bell aim and ideal: A telephone service for this nation so far as humanly possible free from impet- fections, errors and delays, and enabling anyone anywhere at any time to pick up a telephone and talk to anyone else any- where else in this country, clearly, quickly and at a reasonable cost. Watter S. Girrorp President To Ensure Health for Yourself and Your Good Family Read LIFE every week and enjoy its fun. A Good Laugh is sure medicine for many an ill! Special Offer Enclosed find Ove Dollar (Canadian $1.20; Foreign $1.40.) LIFE for the next ten weeks to LIFE, 598 Madison Avenue, New York i. (BUSH TORMINAL PRINTING CORPORATION, BROOKLYN, KEW YORK The Jimtown Weekly Sasiety and Pursonals Cums Looney of the Possum Bugle has a queer idea of humor, | wedding occurred in Possum Flat Wednesday and Looney printed the st in the following original fashion, m violent deaths resulting: “The groom wore a well-tailored of dark material which was very be ing. His shoes were of black p leather and both shoes were well poli His socks were of black silk to mat the suit and shoes. He wore a white bosomed shirt, gates-ajar collar white linen tie. His shirt studs cuff links were made of platinum in with pearl. The bride was attired the conventional white.” eee The two autos which were rafiled by the Ku Klux Karnival last week we won by Abe Levy and Mike Flynn. Parson Pilkins described the evils drink so vividly in his sermon last Sun) day that the whole congregation got up and staggered out of the church. Claude Poteet will leave for a sho trip to New York as soon as his brothe John, gets back from Chicago with tt valise. Chris Lucas says the Jimtown b has five musicians and four of them pretty good, but the cornet player ougl to be dehorned. Number 3 was on time last Saturday. Gloomy Graves is very suspicious about money. He bites every check he gett to see if it's any good, Madame Mag Smith, spiritualistic me dium, had some trouble last week when she moved into a new house. Her kitchen table was arrested by Sheriff Pug Sullk van, charged with walking past a SI sign, loitering in the main. street blocking traffic. Sandy Campbell phoned London Ia ‘Thursday to inquire about a sick brother and was charged $78 for a wrong num ber. Sandy was a good Christian gentle man and well beloved by all who kn him.—Barrie Payne, Associated E Editors (Chicago). What to Expect in Pomona Hene’s another cue for Morris Gest to have a good cry. A girl from Pomo came to Los Angeles on the interurb to see “The Miracle.” Next day, som one asked her how she liked it. “I didn't get to see the picture,” said, “as they had a very dreary prolog that ran on and on, I stayed until ai eleven—the prologue was still going.” —Variety. Skepticism 4 Aw actuary reports that more peo are injured falling in bathtubs than ¢ ladders. An_ ex-doughboy thinks probably doesn’t apply to France, he never saw a bathtub but went up ladder to bed.—Detroit News. comicbooks.com