Life, 1928-02-02 · page 24 of 38
Life — February 2, 1928 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This *Life* magazine page (circa 1920s) contains three distinct satirical pieces: **"The Perversity of Woman"** mocks President Coolidge's vast executive power. The joke: despite controlling national infrastructure via a desk button, he cannot command his own stenographer to answer on the first ring—humorously suggesting women are inherently uncontrollable. **"Mrs. Pope's Diary"** (top right) parodies self-absorbed, melodramatic women who contemplate suicide over trivial matters, then recover through shopping and entertainment. The satire targets upper-class female frivolousness. **"Playthings That Children Really Like"** (bottom) presents a domestic cartoon showing a child preferring to play with actual junkyard items—old tools, car parts, wheelbarrows—over manufactured toys. The caption expresses what "every observant parent knows," satirizing the disconnect between what consumers buy children and what children actually enjoy. All three pieces reflect 1920s attitudes: skepticism toward female rationality, class-based humor about consumption, and commentary on modern consumer culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
f iltingly endow iy hin, Tranyene tnaushd, ws ih A WA tbat ms A Movie Queen Envorses A Creck The Perversity of Woman Y pressing a single button on his desk in Washington, President Coolidge can: Light up the new“White Way” in Walla Walla— Start a roller-skate derby from San Francisco to New York— Unteil a new Ford in Flag- staff, Arizona— Dedicate a bust of Will Rogers Yonkers— Blow up the Old Soldiers’ Home in Elyria, Kansas— Formally open the snipe-hunt- ing season in Alaska— and day bicycle race in ppines. But, nevertheless, it’s ten to one that he has to ring twice for his stenographer. Al Fresco. e Y wife believes there are two sides to every question. “So docs mine. Hers and her mother’s. Life January Restless throughout the Oth Past night because of a a certain state of misery I do be in, so did put my mind to this and that, and when I could not recall the name of the central character in “The Plutocrat,” I must needs leave my bed to search the shelves to satisfy my curiosity, and did find it to be Earl Tinker, of course, and thereafter did fall a-read- ing patches “from various volumes which I came upon, until I somewhat hope I may have caught my death in the chilled room, for then my husband, poor wretch, may repent him of the injustice which I consider him to be doing me. So lay later than usual, but once I was up, off straightway to the shops to spend some money as a pana- cea, and did buy footgear of three varieties, and a black suede purse with a glittering clasp of marcasite, and a peach satin nightrobe with exquisite cutwork and no lace soever, wh does almost make it a museum piece. Home for lunch of cold veal loaf and salad, in a better frame of mind, too, for why should a woman contemplate suicide who has so many brave new things, especially after she has lived through letting a Tue Grounpioc’s Sonc “Me and My Shadow.” he changed her into a rabbit, but no such thing, and she did acquit herself with more poise and dignity than I could have mustered. And when afterwards we were each given a great coloured balloon at the door, her delight did not exceed my own. A pie of chicken and mushrooms for dinner, Sam and I conversing with the polite formality of recent ac- quaintances, and when I did decline his invitation to the theatre, he did astonish me by inquiring if I minded his going (Please turn to page 31) portion of her back hair grow out en route to a small, low chignon? pick up young Be- delia Falls, and thence with her to a performance by Keating the magi- cian, and when he did call for a little girl to assist him on the stage, the child was out of my clutches and up be- hind the footlights before I and the two strange men over whom she had clambered knew what was happen- ing, and I did fear she might break down and begin to bawl when he told rc EVERY OBSERVANT PARENT KNOWS THAT a NO CHILD LIKES STORE TOYS | AT THE WRECKING. COMPANY fi AND Bur 2 AN O&D 5 STRAM SNOVEL fi < KITCHEN UTENSILS, FARMING IMPLEMENTS, SPARE PARTS OF CARS, RADIO SETS AND WHEELBARROWS ARE WHAT HE CRAVES her not to mind if Playthings That Children Really Like Blow comicbooks.com