Life, 1883-06-21 · page 12 of 16
Life — June 21, 1883 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 298: Satire and Moral Tales This page combines reader responses with three satirical pieces typical of 19th-century Life magazine's humor. The **"Answers to Correspondents"** section mocks contemporary figures through coded replies—references to Victoria/Balmoral, O'Donovan Rossa (an Irish nationalist), and Pope Leo suggest topical political jabs about British royalty and religious authority. **"The Shepherd and the Wag"** is a fable mocking wit itself: a clever joker meets a humble shepherd and discovers his clever jokes fail to entertain—the shepherd must literally tickle himself laughing. The moral criticizes those who think themselves witty but produce no genuine response. **"Tom-my the Cat"** is a serialized cautionary tale (following the "Rake's Progress" tradition) teaching children morality through animal characters. The text humorously explains Tom-my's downfall through verse, suggesting consequences await misbehavior—here, breaking Sunday-school rules by fishing on the Sabbath. The illustrations show the cat's misadventures. All three pieces use satire, fables, and didactic humor characteristic of Victorian-era family magazines.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE: ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. ICTORIA, Balmoral.—1, No, we do not accept the crown for the wages you offer. 2. O'Donovan Rossa, to whom we referred your letter, agrees to your terms and promises not to oppose Albert's nomination. Samay, Greystone.—1, Didn't you “* come it” on Watterson good ? Well, yes. 2. Yes, we will give you our heartiest support. 3. Yes, if you knocked out Sullivan in three rounds it wou/d tend in consider- able measure toward removing certain popular impressions concern- ing you. Epson, City Hall.—Yes, ‘The Family Circle " is a good name for your office. L. Russet, London.—No, the flags were not hung at half mast all over the city, nor was there crape on the door of the Casino. Benjamin B., Boston.—1. We do not know how much it would cost to enroll your name among Fox's Martyrs. In his present extrem- ity, Pope Leo would canonize you fora mere song. 2. If the churches insict on being christened after you, let them go ahead. THE SHEPHERD AND THE WAG. GREAT Wag having become engrossed with the immensity of a Deep Joke, wandered by chance into a Desert Place, where all was Bare and Dry. “The place,” said he, “to try my Jest.” But on looking about he could find no one to afflict save a Lone Shepherd, seated under the boughs of a Ban-yan Tree, playing on a home-made Flute.— “ Why do you play here alone ?”’ he asked the Rustic. “ Because no one will listen to me elsewhere; was the reply. “Tam here for the same reason,” remarked the Great Wag. “Do you also play?” queried the Lone Shepherd. “Yes, upon words !" “Let us shake hands," said the Rustic. “TI will discourse Music for you and do you discourse Wit for me; thus we shall always be sure of an Audience.” So the Shepherd drew from his flute sounds that moved the Wag to tears. “ Beautiful and sad!" he said with moist eyes. “ What was it?” “A Contra-Dance!" replied the Rustic. “ But let us have thy Wit.” Hereupon the Wag related Deep Joke with becoming levity, and when he had finished the Shepherd said nothing, but with an effort at asmile, he drew asi his goat-skin cloak and rubbed his knuckles bris on his bare Ribs. “Are you cold?” asked the Great Wag. “No, indeed !" replied the Lone Shepherd; “I am only tickling myself !” Morat, Genius never knows its Fellow. W. W. Kent. HEN Johnny, at his auntie’s, With the jelly doth commingle, They pat-a-cake his panties With a slipper or a shingle. And so he calls them miners— The atrocious little devil !— Because they ’re Forty-niners, ‘And they work the bottom-level ! THE RAKE’S PRO-GRESS; OR, Tue True His-to-ry or Tom-my THE Cat. IT-TLE TOM-MY was born of Mal-tese but mu- si-cal pa-rents, and came into this world un-der most fa-vor-able cir-cum-stan-ces. When on-ly four weeks old he had a nice blue rib- bon tied a-round his neck, and was giv-en a ball of wor-sted to play with. The wick ed poll par-rot en- vied him from a- far, and the sil-ly gold - fish wished they had been born _ Kit- tens. This is the way of the World. Dear child-ren, do not En-vy each oth-er. Lit-tle Tom-my was fed on Cream, and pres-ent-ly he got too big for his Breech - e: At least this is what the oth-er Kit- tens said. One day, when his mis- tress was out of the Room, Tom-my went fish-ing. This was very naugh-ty, but ‘'om-my said he did-n’t care; it was fun-ny, an-y-how. Well, he climbed up on the ta-ble, and went for the en-vi-ous gold- fish. It was Sun - day. and the good Sun-day school Books teach us we can Nev-er catch a-ny- thing on Sun- day. But Tom- my said this was all Fol-da- tee, and that he'd Bet he'd catch some- thing. He caught what some strong - minded peo- ple call Hades, and the sad re-sult was that Tom-my was laid up for a week. THEY EN-VIED HIM. HE WENT FISH-ING. comicbooks.com