Life, 1927-08-25 · page 13 of 36
Life — August 25, 1927 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical sketch titled "The Gay Nineties" depicting a street scene with multiple figures and a horse-drawn carriage. The accompanying text describes a chaotic accident scenario on Elm Street involving a runaway horse and broken vehicles—typical urban mishaps of that era. The humor derives from contrasting the period's romanticized nostalgia for the 1890s with the actual disorder and danger of that time. The sketch mocks both the era itself and contemporary readers who idealize it. Below, a humorous piece titled "A Few Reasons Why I Love Her" by Charles G. Shaw offers satirical observations about women, using wit typical of early 20th-century magazines—gentle mockery of romance and gender dynamics. The page also advertises "The Great Alibi Contest" on page 20, promoting reader participation in a competition.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
» The Gay Nineties BACK IN THE TURBULENT NINETIES, WHENEVER THE HUMDRUM AFFAIRS OF TITE DAY THREATENED TO BECOME A LITTLE BORING SOMEBODY'S HORSE WAS SURE TO RUN AWAY AND BREAK THE DULL MONOTONY. AND MOST OF WHATEVER VEINCLE IE WAS HITCHED To. Here it comes—a big roan dragging a buggy lickety-split down Main Street. Looks like Sid Bou- , it is, and Sid’s in it, too, s goes a wheel—smash—and no ay at the reins. Lordy, watch that buggy sway. There ng he’s turned the corner into Elm Street. Murry up—RUN! OUR SKETCH DEPICTS WHAT YOU COULD REASONABLY EXPECT TO FIND WILEN YOU ARRIVED, BREATIILESS, AROUND ON ELM STREET. IT SHOWS THE FINISH OF THE DEBACLE WITHL THE DISHEVELED HERO OF TILE HOUR TELLING THE POLICE HOW IT HAPPENED, WHILE THE REPORTER FoR THE Blade TAKES rr ALT DOWN, BUT WHAT OUR SKETCH CANNOT SHOW IS THE SMALLER GROUPS ON THE FRINGE OF THE BIG CROWD—EACH WITH ITS SUB-HERO BASKING IN THE REFLECTED LIMELIGHT, POR, APTER ALL, A Goop EYE-WITNESS TO AN ACCIDENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALMOST AS POPULAR AS THE ACCIDENTEE ‘“A Few Reasons Why I Love Her”’ ECAUSE she isn’t always shricking for a cocktail, Because her tears are like tiny drops of nectar Because she doesn’t take her pleasures too seriously, Bee: Because of the way she says “Good-by.” Because her smile is like springtime. Because she never makes ase she does not display photographs of othe ramen scene Because she never answers a question with “Because.” Because she is at her loveliest by moonlight. Charles G. Shaw THE GREAT ALIBI CONTEST will be found on page 20. comicbooks.com