Life, 1927-06-23 · page 9 of 38
Life — June 23, 1927 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of satirical content: 1. **Top cartoon**: A stable scene mocking military incompetence—a sergeant orders a rookie to curry a horse despite the soldier's protest that he "didn't enlist as a cook," satirizing the absurdity of military hierarchy and menial assignments. 2. **Middle dialogue**: "Method of Discovering What a Girl Thinks of Her Best Friend" presents a conversation where a man extracts backhanded compliments about a woman (calling her "sweet" but "dumb," "devoted" but "easily influenced"). The satire targets how people reveal true opinions through careful questioning. 3. **Bottom advertisement**: A novelty "Collegiate Car with Blackboard Body" for students—a humorous product pitch allowing buyers to write and erase messages on their vehicle, targeting the college market of the era. The page reflects typical early-20th-century Life magazine humor: social observation and light mockery of gender relations, military culture, and consumer culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Stable Sergeant: come ON, SOLDIER, GET ON THE JOB AND CURRY THAT HORSE, Rookie: curry TuaT ioRse? say! DIDN’T ENLIST As A cook! The Exceptional Man Method of Discovering What a Girl Thinks of “LTE'S the kind of fellow who Her Best Friend saves his straw hat with the idea of wearing it next season. “But lots of fellows do th “IT know; but he wears his.” Clarinda is a charming girl, He: Yes, I suppose I do. isn’t she? Su But of course I wouldn't Oh, she’s perfectly sweet; mention it to anybody for the world, darling. I'm terribly fond because I love Clarinda above all ! people. I mean I just think it’s a AXOTHER crying need is the per- She's devoted to you. pity she’s such a dumbbell! fection of a serum for persons § Well, of course she’s always Lloyd Mayer. Litten by bootleg liquor. been onc of my best friends. I thought so. You know, I he’s got a wonderful mind. Do you, honestly? That's vy, because most people really think she’s ‘frightfully sweet and everything but sort of dumb. He: Do they? Sur: Well, of course I simply adore her, but I really wouldn't call her bright, would you? He: Well, I don’t know. I think she's really rather intelligent. Sue: Well, of course I'm devoted to her and everything but actually I don’t think she has much brain. Sur: Well, I mean there's only one trouble with her. She's awfully easily influenced by the people she’s Special Collegiate Car with Blackboard Body with. I mean she hasn't the strength Salesman: you CAN WRITE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SMART CRACKS ON THIS of character to sort of think for her- CAR AND REVISE THEM ANY TIME, THANKS TO THE ERASER WE FURNISH PREE self, do you know what I mean? OP CHARGE. comicbooks.com