Life, 1883-02-15 · page 5 of 16
Life — February 15, 1883 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "At the End of the Season" This illustration depicts a social scene at what appears to be a formal gathering or ball. A woman in an ornate dress speaks with a man in evening attire. The dialogue references "Spanish lace" and makes a joke comparing the woman's appearance to the Spanish Armada—a historical naval fleet. The humor relies on a double meaning: the man is complimenting (or mockingly commenting on) her lace garment while also making a sarcastic reference to her formidable or imposing presence, likening her to a famous military force. This type of backhanded compliment was typical of period satire in *Life* magazine, poking fun at both fashion pretensions and romantic social interactions among the wealthy classes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
pi nT A TEMPERANCE LYRIC. WV OULD tw Auantic Main Were billows of bright champagne ! [Dissotute old song of the Apollo'Clib of - Boston. 2 9¥ Oh! Phoebus train, Ye'’ve sighed in vain z That the salt main might be champagne, Your pleading strain 7 Has been inane. Still, Maine men drain The limpid rain, The lightning-chain In secret fane,* Down tortuous lane, . Where “ bar-keeps” gain, by forging a chain For the human’ brain ? Till men go insane * Like Hamlet the Dane, And raise particular Cain ¢ The breakers roar On rocky shore, And dash their spray The usual way; Buf still they bear, Despite your prayer, . No brace for men whose spirits wane. (I've tasted the water again and again ; 1’m a cheerful man, and seldom complain, But the Atlantic main’s not good champagne.) If it were wine, Sparkling, divine, Sea-shores would be O’er-crowded. See? The West again a desert plain ; All shares decline In rail or mine. © Mill-wheels would stop ; men raise ‘ho crop’; And Congress cease To break the peace ; In haste adjourn The whole concern ; Man’s-life would be one huge, long, spree. The best men fall ; All hats'too small ; : All we should gain—a certain loathing for champagne. Let no billows roll Dry Monopole. * Of Bacchus. Miss L.: Mr. H. “Rue,” said the man who was assured that he must go to the dentist sooner or later. “True; so, also, AT THE END OF TH SON. Mr. Hurdygurdy: You Look’ LiKE “son LACE THING, Miss Lovejoy. Devo Le PERHAPS LIKE THE SPANISH ARMADA. Why THE SPANISH ARMADA? HING SPANISH IN THAT sooner or later, 1 must come to the ~ undertaker ; but not if I can help it before death.” Tue tramp is a living, if not shining, example of the fact that the fruits of idleness run to seed. CauTIONARY ADVICE.—Never tell a Bostonian he doesn’t know beans. Very common railway accident on most lines.—A punctual train. Brightest thing out.—The new five-cent piece. Latest thing out ‘he“man with a latch key. - Watt SrrEer ConjuGATION —Beguile, Beguiling, BeGould. : ed 18.8 < WE often hear it asked, “What is friendship but a name?” Yes, but that is quite enough when it is wanted for the back of a bill. THANKS to the mule, the goat, the “ purp ” and the mother-in-law, western humor still lives and thrives, comicbooks.com