Life — January 30, 1931 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Check Book Mystery" by Tom Sims This is a humorous short story with accompanying comic strip illustrations. The narrative follows Martin Stovall, a detective, investigating a missing check book belonging to a man named Mr. Ward. The mystery centers on mysterious check entries: "Trinket for Alice" appears repeatedly with varying amounts ($1,000, $250, $1,500, etc.), suggesting Ward is maintaining a mistress or secret relationship. The comic strip shows a man at Schmolsky's Gym being told he can exercise "just like" someone else by "walking up one flight"—a joke about taking stairs instead of using the gym. The final panel reveals multiple people engaged in this activity, suggesting the gym's inadequate or humorous setup. The story's punchline involves discovering Alice's true identity and the reason for Ward's expenses.