Life, 1928-01-26 · page 25 of 34
Life — January 26, 1928 — page 25: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on courtship and marriage across different social classes and life stages. The top cartoon mocks wealthy society: Mr. Van B. compliments a young woman's figure, claiming he saw her at the Everglades in revealing dress ("en décolleté"). His wife's ironic response suggests this is an obvious or inappropriate basis for flattery. The main story, "A Ministering Angel Thou...," presents a nurse's monologue in exaggerated dialect, describing elderly male patients who use flirtation and physical touch as manipulation—feigning illness to gain attention and affection from younger female caregivers. The nurse contrasts this with younger patients who were genuinely charming. The bottom cartoon shows a man at a "Milady Clothes" shop being corrected by a woman, suggesting social hierarchy in romantic or courtship situations. Together, the page satirizes how both wealthy men and aging patients use deceptive tactics to pursue women, and warns young women against such manipulation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—~_= Mr. Van B.: Good figure, that girl. ~S> ——~ —_ — Mrs. Van B. (ironically) : Heavens, how did you ever find that out? Mr. Van B.: Oh, I saw her at the Everglades last night, en décolleté. “A Ministering Angel Thou...” “QOEE sezz, ‘Am I gonna die, ne nu, annye sezz, ‘Course ya aingonna die,’ I sezz. ‘We'll havya up inna wreck-rayshun room inna week, dansin ta tha radio,’ I sezz. Annen I saw he wuz juss puttinit on, tha ole gote. He wuz fiffy feewuzza day, annee tryta hole my hand every time I tookiz pulss, tha ole libberine! They do that, Sie: Arid remember, we must never, never get to be an old married couple like Mother and Dad. Burnuss: they think iffay turnonna teerz, ya'll gesoff overrum, anso they puttiton every chanss they get. Ya gotta watchum, Burnuss. Anneez ony a tonssul case too, anneez fiffy, urree maybee sissy, annaree wuzz rolunizz eyes an groanun an tryun ta gesoff every time I tuchtum, tha old satire....Wooncha think they'd rememer thurr age, Burnuss, an behave, huh?...Y’could stannit fthey wuzz youngan hansom. I hadda double-mastuyd lass month thawuzz juss twenny-two anna swell-lookun boy. Heewuzz offal cute, Burnuss, I wish- ya coulda seenum; hee- wuzz in thuyteen, annee yoosta commec his sweedie, tha lil cuddup. He yoosta ack sumpm offal, cuddunup alla time, annevery time I tookizz pulss he yoosta tickul me, tha lil devull. Onnest, he wuz tha cutess thing!...He yoosta tickul me inna ribs an ollem things; onnest, Burnuss, he wuz a sigh-cuss! Ittaina bad life whenya getta pay- shunt like at, bummye Lord, these ole gotesthaturr alwaze tryunta gesoff, they gimme tha creeps....Theresizz bell now, tha ole love-buyd, I spozee wantsa look inna my eyes urr sumpm, Fye wuzzun scared tha night soup- vizor woobee roun, I'd lettum ring tillee bust, buttile gosee whatha dar- fool wantss.......... Well, well, Misser Jonze, how are we tanight?” Heman Fay, Jr. Yo] co eed \ \ Sotovey | i] mvnollad— “Aw, bring your hand down here—don't be so darn high-hat!” comicbooks.com