Life, 1927-10-27 · page 6 of 36
Life — October 27, 1927 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main illustration depicts a church scene where a pastor reports to trustees about a stained glass window. The humor relies on a housing/rooming glossary sidebar, suggesting this is about the challenges of urban apartment living—a staple of Life's satirical content. Below that, "Paris Shapes" mocks Parisian French fashion slang and affectations, using exaggerated dialect to satirize how Americans perceived French style pretension. The rapid-fire phrases ("type smart," "sorta face") caricature both Parisian fashion terminology and the Americans who adopted it. The "Modernistic" cartoon shows indoors and outdoors dialogue, likely commenting on contemporary social behavior or generational differences during the early-to-mid 20th century, though the specific reference is unclear without additional context.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Pastor (at meeting of trustees): 14M GLAD TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE JUST PURCHASED A STAINED GLASS WINDOW FOR THE CHURCH. Well-fed Trustee: wow MUCH WILL IT COST TO HAVE THE STAINS REMOVED? Paris Shapes “PRAHASSAN offal smart lil hat. -Tonnessly think ibbrings out ya type vurry well....Oh, yes- sinneed, all our shapesa importud. .-Accourse they're made right here inna shop, but direck saweet la shapesa importud from Paruss.... Now lil shape... .1t hazzat dashun air, ya know whatta mean, iss yuthat lil flare brim... Givesut a vurry saphissicatud lool ...Annit reely looks offal well onya -Yar jussa type fathat smart kir hat, ya know whe some wimmun can't wearat kina hat attol; their head ain't) praporshun right fathat smart look inna hat, but reely ya head isso well praporshun No, I woon't say inna brim, but heresa sorta onna tta mean? ijjuss seemzift— iwwazz too low c course some people likum low an’ some don't, iss reely jussa mattera puysonal tace....Here’s one thassa triful higher, annis reely a marvluss lil hat....Iss guthat aira distinck- shun—iss estremely sheek....Now, thass reely tremennussly becummun. ...Ya got jussa pro-file ta wearem distinctuy hatss....Oh, thass per- e gladda showa hatss.. +Can ya beatut, Muydl?) Another wunna them mir- ror-shopuzz that cumminere fa their affernoon’s fun cozzare to tita spenna price uvva matnay witha face like at!...1f I hadat sorta face, Muydl, I'd scream if I seena mirror. ..Anshee wantsa know if tha hatziz from Paruss...Paruss at three-fiffy-nine 4 ...On- ness, that wommunud expeck ta get Eyetalyun olluv-oyul outuvva fillun stayshun!” Heman Fay, Jr. Modernistic HOST (appearing on darkened veranda): Are you young folks all enjoying yourselves? (Absolute silence.) Host (returning indoors): That's fine! Glossary of Rooming- House Terms OVELY FRONT: Any room in the house, usually facing th court, and supposed to be equipped with Running Water: Found in adver- tisements or issuing from Radiator: An ornamental, alumi- numized fixture in one corner, sup- posed to have some connection with Steam Heat: Something which is turned on after you leave the house in the morning ‘and turned off be- fore you get back in the evening, by the Landlady: The woman who goes through your wastebasket and pock- ets, and to whom you pay the Rent: Hush-money, which you must turn over promptly on Satur- day or you don't get your clean A series of large holes held together by small cloth, furnished the Roomer: One who is accused of stealing towels, along with the Hot Water: What the roomer is ays in, and the Soap: A fragment of some slip- pery, insoluble substance in the Bath Room: The place strips of where Asia Kagowan. HER, EH? Second Transient: ¥ HER SIT UP AND TAKE 1 SURE MADE MY Notice!