Life, 1927-08-18 · page 25 of 36
Life — August 18, 1927 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three separate satirical pieces: **Top cartoon**: Depicts a "scientist" and "lady from Setauket" discussing a vast desert. The joke mocks American tourists' inability to appreciate natural wonders without commercial amenities—the lady envisions beach parties rather than geological majesty, suggesting shallow materialism. **"All the French You Need to Know"**: Satirizes American soldiers returning from World War I who pepper their speech with mangled French phrases and slang picked up abroad. The exaggerated dialogue ("Bon jewer," "Combien") mocks this affected pretension and the soldiers' misunderstanding of actual French. It's gentle mockery of war veterans trying to seem sophisticated. **"Have Patience"**: A motorist complains to a native about poor road conditions. The native's reply—that the road exists but the motorist hasn't driven far enough yet—is absurdist humor about infrastructure inadequacy, likely reflecting post-WWI America's developing highway system and rural road conditions. All three pieces lampoon American cultural attitudes: materialism, affected sophistication, and infrastructure limitations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Scientist: Tas ts THVT VAST AND SOLEMN SATEMIEN DESERT —THREE THOUSIND MILES LONG AND TWO THOUSAND MILES Wipe The Lady from Setauket: ou, WNT \ LOVELY PLACE POR BEACH PARTIFS—IP THERE WEEE ONLY SOME prietwoon ! All the French You Need to Know But not as the war-time phrase where we used to get the omelets Want te go for a little promenay books had it vee scece erfs, and the pum de tairs, I ON jewer, vou ol son of a gun! and the cornfitoor, and the pan and Wee gates? Let's that brassery on reo Shar burr, and the van ro La Feet blank, teem or van vkant MH for cat fran Trays beans, old timer. [ com pree every word you said. T've been chershaying all ‘over the boolevard of my old buddies, and now ther, Hank, PM feel Combien for Mint: swe Autosuggestion “Reegarday! There go a coupl TPE GIRL: Darling, tell me that mamzells, Dee donk; hey, you! you love : Tur Bo: Thay dred times to-day, de vou believe it Tur Girt it home in I Have Patience Motorist: 1 THOUGHT You TOLD ME THERE Was 4 > HOAD TERE, Native: THERE Is, BUT YOU AIN'T DOWN PAR ENOVGIE YET. comicbooks.com