Life, 1928-07-05 · page 20 of 50
Life — July 5, 1928 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon, "The Crime Club Chooses Its Book of the Month," satirizes chaotic intellectual pretension. It depicts well-dressed people in violent disarray—fighting, falling, throwing books and furniture—while supposedly selecting literature. The joke mocks book clubs of the era as pretentious social gatherings masquerading as serious literary discussion, where members engage in absurd behavior rather than genuine intellectual engagement. Below are three lighter humor pieces: an "Accountant Might Help" joke about a father buying an adding machine to help his son with arithmetic (implying the machine will solve the problem rather than the boy learning); "The Timid Soul," romantic poetry about romantic hesitation; and a marital joke where a husband's morning apology for a kiss proves he actually kissed someone—exposing infidelity through his guilt. These pieces represent typical Life magazine humor: social satire, domestic comedy, and whimsical verse reflecting 1920s-30s middle-class anxieties and relationships.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
until three sides of the wall were bespat- tered and I had nought but the dreariest morsel remaining to be eaten, and when Katie did discover me in my plight her laughter was so immoderate that she con- tracted the hiccough and the nurse was obliged to give her first aid before she could put on the coffee. We do live and learn, however, and the next time I have occasion to peel a tomato, I shall know enough to steep it first in hot water. Lydia Loomis to luncheon, and she did tell me how she had been in Massachu- setts stopping at an inn where there was a lodge convention and how, when she was sitting one morning in the lobby in a frock for which she had laid out two hundred and thirty-five dollars, not to mention her new sables, a woman on some entertainment committee had ap- proached her and said, “Are you with the Elks?” so that now she does not feel like paying her dressmakers until she is sufficiently ready, which would be almost any time, mescems, considering the annuity left her by her grandfather, and yet fe one thinks that Lyd, who never reads anything much beyond the literature attached to patent medicines, can be talked by an insignificant book- store salesman into buying a first edition of “Alice in Wonderland” for six hundred dollars, one cannot but feel that the wisest financial act of that shrewd old man’s career was tying L.’s income up in The Crime Club Chooses Its Book of the Month trust, the only wonder being that he did not appoint a commission for her. To dinner this night with Cozen Marie, of melon, clear soup, soft shell crabs, squab, string beans, soufilé potatoes, asparagus hollandaise and strawberry ice cream, all very fine, but I did righteously skip the roast and sweet. Baird Leonard. AN ACCOUNTANT MIGHT HELP “So you are shopping for an adding machine?” “Yes; poor Junior has been having so much trouble with his arithmetic lessons.” Gwe a politician enough rope and you'll have a pull. The Timid Soul Ou, tell me, should I take a chance? Her mouth is like a friendly shore Some mariner spics—but breakers roar; And so, he merely casts a glance, While fond hopes sink, but wishes soar! Oh, tell me, should I take a chance? She might not see me any more! But how did Whosis conquer France? And Moses lead his tourists through the sea? Her eyes just sparkle with romance— Steve Brodie, let your spirit bide with me! Leonard Bronner, Jr. Sue: What makes you so sure he kissed me yesterday? Sue: He was around this morning begging me to forgive him. We cou erowil reports of a co of San must b of four & Tor gress.” before. oeelnd terday some cannon, **°Col Guard Lake, | withou! way ists dre day to ser seen on he tur: lican fr Eante Dawes, weddir Holton wishes cust'm: Bu in the at Gra: Lena's for pic & Th these weathe soy, White US... usual, Mc Tace t comicbooks.com