Life, 1928-03-15 · page 13 of 34
Life — March 15, 1928 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Life* magazine contains three humor pieces: 1. **"Why a Telephone Was Wrecked"**: A Western Union operator's complaint humorously encoded in Morse code abbreviations (M for Mushy, L for Lemon, etc.). The joke relies on readers understanding telegrapher slang—a profession now obsolete. 2. **"Call the Alienists!"**: A cartoon mocking Senate proceedings, with the caption "With all thy faults I love thee, still." The point appears to be criticism of political ineffectiveness or corruption, though specific context is unclear. 3. **"Success Comes to the Jokesmith"**: A story about a humorist selling jokes to theatrical producers for fifty dollars each. It satirizes commercialization of humor and reflects early 20th-century vaudeville and magazine culture. These pieces assume reader familiarity with now-disappeared professions and entertainment industries.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Life Why a Telephone \ 1) fi" " Was Wrecked | 4 i ESTERN UNION OPERA- TOR: I will repeat the paid telegram: “Miss — M for Mushy, I for Isa- dore, S for Sissy, S again for Sock, Miss: “Lulu — L for Lemon, U for un- educated, L again, this time for Lousy, and another U for Under- wear—Miss Lulu— “Miss Lulu Smoltz — S_ for Sappy, M for Moxie, O for Oscar, L for Leapin’, T for Tabasco, Z for Zebra—Miss Lulu Smoltz— “Ha-won, Eight, as in ate, Seven, rhyming with eleven, Nine, as in No, North, like a point of the compass, Main, sounding like Pain, Street, Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk! “This is the paid telegram: “Regret inability be with you to- night. Love. Signed, “*Tom F, Barry’; that’s spelt: “T for Tomato, O for Old, M for Mug. Then, middle initial, F for Foolish. Last name: “B for Balmy, A for Alcohol, R for Robber, another R, this one for Rooster... “Operator—Operator—this t ¢ 1 e- phone must have gone out of order, “And, mind you, under no circumstances are you to put one of my pictures in your show-case.” Success Comes to the Jokesmith or clse the party cut off.” Tom F. Barry. Call the Alienists! “TO you think Vare has a chance to get his seat in the Senate after all?” “Well, why not? prove him insane.” They might HERE was once a humorist who wrote humor for the humorous magazines. He was a hard worker. For long hours daily~he toiled and ploughed and reploughed his brain for original jokes, which he found were rare and often difficult to manu- facture. But by hard work and by what the prophets of the day called everlasting stick-to-itiveness he was able to write a goodly number of paragraphs which were in due time printed in the humorous magazines. And he was well content. And one day there came to visit him a mighty theatrical producer. And the visitor inquired of him if he had received renruncration for his “With all thy faults I love thee, still.” many laughable ideas. “Yes,” replied the humorist, “for cach of them T have received from the magazines from one to five dollars and I am well content.” “O. K.,” replied th language of the time. hen I, the great magnate, will honor you by taking over these jokes for certain of my theatrical productions. For discovering them I shall pay myself fifty dollars per joke, and moreover, the populace will notice them and will think me a wit and will laugh, and I shall speak these same jokes over the radio and greatly profit.” And he did so, And the humorist was greatly encour- aged. W. W. Scott. producer in the MARRIED man is one who has two hands with which to steer the car. comicbooks.com