Life, 1927-06-23 · page 30 of 38
Life — June 23, 1927 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a poem satirizing suburban life, likely from the 1920s based on references to fashions and social customs. The piece mocks suburban residents as hypocritical and bored—outwardly respectable (with mentions of "Adelaide and John," domestic routines like sewing buttons) but secretly fascinated by scandal and infidelity. Key targets include: - **The suburbs' pretended morality** versus their obsession with gossip about neighbors' affairs ("Where Lydia lost her morals") - **Social conformity**: everyone plays golf, follows fashion trends (brown suiting), and consumes theater for vicarious thrills - **Underlying dissatisfaction**: described as "weary" and desperate for entertainment The italicized phrases reference actual publications—quotes are attributed to *Punch* magazine and other contemporary sources, lending satirical authority. The surrounding advertisements (Marlboro cigarettes, Klenzo shaving cream) are period commercial content, not part of the satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PLS. If you play bridge, let us send you our attractive new Marlbore —mailed free upon request. wAR L BORG (Mild as : May) Always fresh— Wrapped in heavy foil. Created by PHILIP MORRIS & Co. Life The Suburb (As Some People Seo Her) Aut day the suburb drowses, But when the day has gone The suburb leaves its houses To see some carryings-on, To look at livelier spouses Than Adelaide and John. There must be beef and mutton «And tables set to dine (From Cricklewood to Sutton, «And down the local line), And “Maud, dear, sew a button On to this coat of mine.” The suburb is a vandal, It lives on golf and doubt; rwright holds a handle nds the drama out; Who cares what it's about! The bus that rolls to Tooting Returns again to town; The fashionable suiting This season will be brown; And art that’s high-faluting, My dear, will Xov go down. The suburb has its quarrels But few and far between, What is there at “ To talk of save the s Where Lydia lost her morals, Attired in erépe de chine? Oh, lift the little covers «And clatter with the knives, We hace no ¢ of plorers, But how it cheers our lives To see levanting lovers And leproushearted wives! The suburb has divorces, But oh! how few they are; The playwright reinforces Their splendour from afar; He thrills us like new horses Inside a motor-car. The suburb is a-dreary: The wires are there all day; The husbands come back cheery, They will not run away; The suburb is a-weary For one more fatuous play, —“Evoe,” in Punch. An Angler’s Holiday Biaxx came back from his fortnight’s holiday proud of his bulging muscles. nok at these arms,” he said, They were certainly in good condition. We put it down to rowing, but Blank withered us with scorn, “Rowing be blowed,” he snorted. “I got them pulling fish up.” —Smith's Weekly (Sydney). Inate Pater: What do you mean by coming home at five Ixpioxaxt Davonter: For cryin’ out loud, Pop! I have to patronize the old roost some time, don’t 1? —Washington § Lee Mink. Tur Supreme Court decision puts the bootlegger in a privileged class. He is the only citizen who can be arrested for paying his income tax.—New Yorker. Klenzo Shaving Cream takes the nuisance out of shaving. It makes the stub- ble field so soft that your razor reaps in clean, swift, singing swaths. Then, when the job is smoothly done, your face feels happy all day. Sold only at Rexall Drug Stores. Drug Store ~ 5 on wil necogaleg ts by pie sige comicbooks.com