Life, 1927-06-23 · page 35 of 38
Life — June 23, 1927 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct elements: **"Mrs. Pep's Diary"** is a humorous column documenting the social observations and domestic complaints of an upper-class woman. The entry mocks petty annoyances: inefficient bill-paying merchants, a dinner companion (Jane Thomson) who serves china illustrated with Dickens scenes—helpful because the narrator admits she's never read Dickens. The diary also includes a vignette about a young woman applying makeup while standing in dangerous traffic on Lexington Avenue, presented as an act of brave foolishness comparable to Hannibal crossing the Alps. **The bulk of the page is a Palmolive Shaving Cream advertisement**—a full-page sponsored pitch claiming the product results from studying "60 years of soap study" and testing 130 formulas. The ad offers a free 10-day trial tube, listing five supposed advantages (lather multiplication, beard softening, etc.). This juxtaposition is typical of *Life* magazine's format: satirical editorial content alongside commercial advertisements. The diary's dry wit about mundane upper-class life contrasts sharply with the earnest marketing language below.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mrs. Pep’s Diary (Continued from page 12) the first morning, punched the red button of the interconnecting tele- and asked for his tea and and received the response, d toast, me eye! This is the Westbury operator.” June An influx of bills by the first post from those Ist tradesmen who have been sitting up nights to get them out, and in the gloom of sorting them it did occur to me that there ought to be a law requiring merchants to enclose addressed envelopes with every in- and if they also bothered to send a cheque made out save for the signature on cach customer's bank, it would expedite payment from such path-of-least-resistancers as I. To Jane Thomson's for luncheon, which she did have served on some china portraying scenes from Dick- ens, fortunately with captions under each one, for I have never read any save the merest fragments of Dick- and should not have known whether my salad was sitting upon Mr. Micawber or Uriah Heep had not the text told me. Nor can I at the moment think of a pleasanter way of acquiring knowledge, neither, Jane's food being so good that no patina soever was left to obscure the pictures. On the way home, I did see from my cab window a young girl standing in the thick of the traffic regarding herself in a pocket mirror whilst she powdered her nose and reddened her lips, and I did place her for heroism in the class with the women who swing by their teeth in the circus, for Lord, the Alps did not look more impossible to Han- nibal than unregulated Lexington Avenue looks to me. Amy Banks to tea, boring me more than ever with her chatter about her brilliant and consequential acquaintances, many of whom I do privately know to be un- derbred charlatans, and even should they by any chance be all that Amy says they are, I should still be thankful that my own friends are the sort that hasn’t much interest in life beyond making whatever has been bid in spades and whether or not the dahlias are out. This night I was holpen twice to ice cream with chocolate sauce, and I do pray God that I may hold out against such in- dulgence in the warmer days that are to come. phone toast, ens, Baird Leonard. Limping Along Nearsiontep Oxn Gentleman: you a messenger boy? Urciun (indignantly): No, sir, it’s my sore toe that makes me walk this slow.—Western Reserve Red Cat. Are GenTLEMEN: Palmolive Shaving Cream is a truly unique creation. We made it up to meet the su- preme desires of 1000 men whose ideals of a shaving cream we asked. 130 formulas were developed and discarded before we found the right one. All our 60 years of soap study, we put into this preparation, Then we told men, “Don’t Buy, Yet—accept a 10-day tube to try and find out first if you like it.” The result was a business sensa- tion. Palmolive Shaving Cream rose, almost instantly, to a leading position in its highly competitive field. E sPALMOLIVE g By Shaving Cream’ We Studied Years To correct the mistakes of old-type shaving prep- arations for you—now please accept a 10-day tube of Palmolive Shaving Cream to try Millions of men have flocked to it. We think you will find it superlative in a shaving cream. Hence, seek the opportunity of sending you a 10-day tube to try. These 5 advantages . Multiplies itself in lather 250 times. . Softens the beard in one minute. . Maintains its creamy fullness for 10 min utes on the face. Strong bubbles hold the hairs erect for cutting. . Fine after-effects due to palm and olive oil content, Just send coupon Your present method may suit you well. But still there may be a better one. This test may mean much to you in comfort. Send the coupon before you forget. THE PALMOLIVE-PEET COMPANY, CHICAGO, ILL. 10 SHAVES FREE and a can of Palmolive After Shaving Tale Simply insert your name and ress and mail to Dept. B-1336, Palmolive, 3703 Iron Street, Chicago, Ml Residents of Wisconsin should address Palmolive, Milwaukee, Wis. (Please print your name and address’ comicbooks.com