Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, October 1921 · page 65 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #25 — page 65: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes 1920s American social anxieties, primarily Prohibition's effects. The opening poem mocks a cuckolded soldier ("Gold Striper"—likely a WWI veteran) whose wife infidelity occurred during his absence, now leaving him emotionally destitute ("on the rocks"). The dialogue between two men debates Prohibition's success: one claims fewer car accidents since the country "went dry," but his friend counters that bootleg alcohol is so weak that drinkers never make it far enough to crash. The satire suggests Prohibition failed—illegal liquor remains available but inferior. The final joke references the "Stillman divorce case," a scandalous 1921 society divorce involving infidelity. The author jests that his deep tan from swimming makes him resemble "an Indian guide," so his jealous wife fears other women (obsessed with the famous affair) will mistake him for one. This mocks both the scandal's pervasiveness and period-era casual racism. The page combines romantic betrayal with Prohibition critique and social gossip humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang 63 On the Rocks Lament of the Gold Striper “God bless you, dearie, I’ll always be waiting,” Before I got back she’d done other mating. With a goop that stayed home without any rating, ’Twas while I was gone that he did all his bating. Sad Refrain: Nothing to think about, nothing to do, Nothing to talk about, none to talk to, Nothing to look at, nothing is new, Nobody to love, no one loves you. Nothing to drink except in the sea, No one to say. “Have one on me,” Bootleg it? Yes, if you have the fee, The label is there, but it’s only weak tea. The sun never shines, nothing but rain, Feel sore all over, nothing but pain, No steps forward, not any gain. Left on the rocks, and lost in the game. * * * “You’ve got to admit one thing” said the man who believes prohibition has gone into effect, “and that is since the country went dry you dont see so many smashed up automobiles on the country roads.” “Yes” answered his friend, as he adjusted his glasses “a fellow who takes more than one shot of the hootch sold nowadays never gets as far as the city limits.” * * * Their jests, their quips, insipid jokes, I’ve heard till I am full; Why can’t the men fling bullion, Instead of flinging bull. * * * I’ve been swimming a lot lately and as a result am tanned a dark brown—so dark that my wife won’t let me out of her sight for a minute around the lakes—she’s afraid some women follower of the Stillman divorce case will mistake me for an Indian guide.