Life, 1927-05-19 · page 14 of 42
Life — May 19, 1927 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents early 1900s satirical content mixing literary and humorous commentary. The top illustration depicts a scene labeled as involving Shakespeare (the Bard) pitching a plot to Queen Elizabeth I. The joke involves "two families that have each other" with romantic entanglement—likely mocking the familiar plot formula of Shakespeare's works, particularly *Romeo and Juliet*. Below, "Those Frolicksome Boyes" presents a Vaudeville sketch about a man boasting his mother-in-law makes good sausage, followed by increasingly absurd wordplay about cooking and marriage. Additional sections include brief comedic anecdotes ("At the University of Pisa") and an "Archaic Dictionary" defining obsolete terms. The illustration on the right shows period-costumed figures, though their specific identity remains unclear from context alone. The overall tone is light satirical humor typical of early Life magazine's theatrical and literary parody approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Will Shakespeare (the Bard) :1’ve Got \ wow or A PLOT FOR MY NEXT SHOW, YOUR MAJESTY. '$ ABOUT TWO FAMILIES THAT HATE EACH OTHER AND THE SON OF ONE FAMILY FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE DAUGHTER OF THE OTHER OUTFIT AND... Elizabeth (the Queen): Lay orr it, E PUBLIC 18 GETTING TERRIBLY TIRED OF THE OLD “AniE’s IRISH ROSE” FORMULA, Those Frolicksome Boyes (Part of a Vaudeville Act by an Un- known Elizabethan Playwright) “FOW now, Master Sappe, last night I tolde my mother-in- lawe that she could make good sausage.” “Thou toldst thy mother-in-law that she could make good sausage, a0 At the University of Pisa Frosh: 1 Wear GALILEO HAS BEEN CAUGHT CRIBBING, Soph: YES, IE LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW TIIF It OF THE AS- TROLOGY EXAM, what! what! And then, Master Simpe?” hou thinkest I am a_ good cook?’ saith she. y,’ quoth I.” Marry come up, let me gette t straight. Thou saith thy mother-in- law could make good sausage yet thou sayest she is not good cook?” “Oddso, my mother-in-law could make good sausage—were some one kind enough to run her throe a meat chopper!...An thou wilt be 80 good, professor...” (They go into a morris dance.) H.W. HU. Definitions From an Archaic Dictionary ABBITT—A metallic alloy. Moron—A kind of salamander. Tabloid—A small tablet. Dumbbell—Weight for exercise. Sheba—Part of Ethiopia. Drugstore—Place where drugs are sold. Husband—Head of a household. Teddies—Plural of Teddy. J.C. T. comicbooks.com