Life, 1929-03-29 · page 16 of 36
Life — March 29, 1929 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top cartoon:** Two figures on skis encounter a large bird. The caption reads "Cook: And to think, Captain, the dishes ain't washed!" This appears to be a humorous military scene, likely referencing naval or expedition life where mundane domestic chores persist even in extreme circumstances. **"The Letters of a Modern Father":** A father advises his son on business matters—specifically obtaining a bank loan to rebuild a property on Brickyard No. 5 that "burned down last month." The satire targets how fathers dispense financial advice, and perhaps the casualness with which business property is destroyed and rebuilt. **Bottom comic strip:** "Reading a Letter from a Woman" depicts a man struggling to decipher a woman's handwriting while reading correspondence. The joke plays on the stereotype of illegible female penmanship—a common early-20th-century comedic trope.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Cook: And to think, Captain, the dishes ain't washed! The Letters of a Modern Father My Dear Son: Your report on the depression in the theme song industry has just arrived by air mail. Of course, you will un- derstand that having spent my life in the brick business it is difficult for me to analyze a financial statement of one of the arts. I note, however, that you have written seven theme songs in the last four weeks and still have them on hand. I would say that you were over-produced. When you left home to revolution- ize the musical side of the talking “Well, if it doesn’t ring in ten minutes, it’s a vase!” pictures I assumed you knew what you were doing. You will recall that you said to me, “Dad, all I want is my chance and five thousand dollars.” Anybody capable of a proposition like that is a business man, certain to be a great success. So I suggest to you something that is quite common in commercial affairs. Take your statement to a good bank and get the loan committee to let you have ten thousand or so on it. And if they do it, wire me as I'll want you to borrow some for me on Brickyard No. 5, which burned down last month. Your Affectionate Father, McCready Huston. (7; Thence thing a thing 8b abate) VU wal pees vey) \ mikes Going on 2 trip | : oie es Reading a Letter from a Woman, comicbooks.com