Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, July 1921 · page 30 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #22 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humor advice column styled as "Dear Captain" letters, typical of *Whiz Bang*, a post-WWI satirical magazine known for ribald jokes and wordplay. The jokes rely on puns and double meanings: - **"Bank walker"**: The reply redirects to "swimming editor," implying the wife "swam away"—a euphemism for infidelity. - **"Silly ass"** origins: References a French soldier (poilu) post-WWI, playing on assumed French vulgarity. - **Growing fat**: "Breed hogs"—absurdist non-answer humor. - **Horse slobbering cure**: "Teach him to spit"—similarly illogical. - **Sewing machine vs. kiss**: Pun on "seams/seems"—risqué innuendo. - **"Crazy bone"**: Implies reckless spending on romance. The column targets young male readers with juvenile wordplay and cynical observations about courtship and money. It's characteristic of 1920s American humor magazines that thrived on double entendre and anti-establishment tone.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
28 Captain Billy's Whiz Bang Dear Capt. Whiz Bang—A friend informs me his wife ran away with a “bank walker.” I have heard of bank tellers and bank cashiers, but never heard of a “bank walker.” Please tell me what he meant?—**Bob Sledd.** Your query has been referred to the swimming editor. * * * Dear Captain Billy—Will you please tell me the origin of the expression: “Mother, who is this silly ass?”—**S. O. Elly.** It originated in France after the close of the war when a poilu returned and, finding his home disrupted, left again to vow further vengeance on the German. * * * Dear Cap—Please tell me how to grow fat.—**Slim Jim.** Breed hogs. * * * Dear Skipper Bill—What is a cure for a horse that slobbers?—**Artie Fishel.** Teach him to spit. * * * Dear Skipper—What is the difference between a sewing machine and a kiss?—**B. Qrious.** One sews seams nice and the other seams sew nice. * * * Dear Captain Whiskers—What is a crazy bone?— **Howe D. Dew.** A dollar spent on a girl.