Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, May 1922 · page 65 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #33 — page 65: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from a 1920s satirical magazine contains brief jokes and quips typical of the era. Key references include: **"A Couple of Dukes"**: A joke mocking social climbers—Smith's wife associates with royalty, leading to divorce on "two counts" (likely a pun on "county" courts). **Prohibition-era humor**: The home-brew alcohol test joke references the illegal liquor production during Prohibition (1920-1933), a major contemporary concern. **WWI references**: "This Month In History" mentions the Battle of Sedan (1940, though likely referring to an earlier conflict). The disabled soldier joke appears to reference WWI veterans, some of whom lost limbs. **General social satire**: Other jokes mock materialism (the "smile vs. dollar bill" piece), marital skepticism (Adam and Eve), and physical comedy (the Irishman's hanging, the "dip with a sip"—referring to hip flasks). The humor is crude and occasionally dark by modern standards, reflecting 1920s comedy sensibilities.
📄 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 A Couple of Dukes Smith's wife hobnobs with royalty. Yes, the divorce was based on two counts. * * * "How would you test home-brew to see if there was any wood alcohol in it?" asked the old soak. "Why, strain it through a silk handkerchief and see if you get any splinters," replied the young soak. * * * How to Help A smile will help a man a lot when man is full of sorrow, And yet a dollar bill is what he really wants to borrow. So, when a brother on the hill encounters stormy weather, Don't give the smile or give the bill, but give them both together! * * * Adam was the only man who can believe his wife when she told him he was the first to kiss her. * * * This Month In History The Battle of Sedan. * * * May says, "It's all right to dance with a disabled sol- dier but what joy is there in having an armless man love you?" * * * Dear Captain—Seems like they ought to call these ballroom wrestling matches "Tape" dances. They're so darned adhesive. * * * An Irishman about to be hanged pleaded to have the rope put under his arms as he was very ticklish in the throat, and he did not want to die laughing at such a sad scene. * * * There's many a dip with a sip on the hip.