Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, June 1922 · page 32 of 68
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang #34 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Captain Billy's Whiz Bang* (a 1920s-era men's humor magazine) contains brief jokes and anecdotes typical of the era's lowbrow comedy: **"Gwan to Bed Story"**: A misunderstanding joke—a boy's basket contains puppies, not pickles, explaining mysterious leaking. **"Confederate soldier/Union Suit"**: A pun exploiting the double meaning of "Union Suit" (a one-piece undergarment), making light of Civil War divisions through wordplay. **"Ten Bars in a Night Room"**: Dark humor about child neglect—a child admits her drunk father gives her money, implying parental irresponsibility. **"Foolish Questions"**: A simple pun: "Gra-Apes" (Grapes) answers what monkeys grow on vines. **"Bawl Room"**: A pun on "Ball Room"—a baby swallowing a spoon provokes no reaction ("nothing stirring"). The content reflects early 20th-century American working-class humor: crude, punning, and often touching on drinking, poverty, and domestic dysfunction without moral judgment. The magazine targeted male readers seeking irreverent entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
30 Captain Billy's Whiz Bang Gwan to Bed Story A lady entering a crowded train, requested a little boy if she might put his basket, which he had beside him, up in the rack so that she might sit there. He assented willingly. A short time later the lady remarked, “Sonny, I’m afraid your pickles are leaking.” Little boy, disgustedly—“Them ain’t pickles, lady, them’s puppies.” * * * We will now indulge in that aesthetic ballad entitled, “My father was a Confederate soldier but he wore a Union Suit.” * * * Ten Bars In a Night Room And so at last the child spoke up. Her voice was full of spunk; “Don’t seil my daddy soft drinks. He gives me money when he’s drunk.” * * * Foolish Questions What kind of monkeys grow on vines? Gra-Apes. * * * Latest News From the Bawl Room The baby swallowed a spoon, but nothing stirring. * * * Our Monthly Motto Love a little girl lots and not a lot of girls a little.