Life, 1883-08-02 · page 5 of 16
Life — August 2, 1883 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis **The Cartoon ("A Symphony"):** The illustration shows silhouetted figures on a stage with a large moon backdrop—appearing to depict a theatrical or musical performance. The "symphony" title suggests this is satirizing either a specific concert performance or perhaps pretentious artistic culture of the era. **The Text Content:** The page contains two unrelated pieces: 1. **"Lockerbie Street"** by James Whitcomb Riley—a nostalgic poem praising a pleasant residential street as an escape from urban chaos. 2. **"Aesop Revised: The Hare and the Hound"** by J.K. Bangs—a humorous moral tale involving animals that critiques both Darwinian theory and the absurdity of taking Darwin too literally, concluding it's "better to be an Umpire in a Base-ball match than a Funny Man." The page mixes sentimental poetry, satirical fable, and artistic illustration without clear thematic connection.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LOCKERBIE STREET. UCH a rare little street itis! Nestled away From the noise of the city and heat of the day, In cool, shady coverts of whispering trees, With their leaves lifted up to shake hands with the breeze That in all its wide wanderings never may meet With a resting place fairer than Lockerbie Street. There is such a relief from the clangor and din Of the heart of the town, to go loitering in Through the dim narrow walks, with the sheltering shade Of the trees, waving over the long promenade, And littering lightly the ways of your fect With the gold of the sunshine of Lockerbie Street ! And the Nights that come down the dark pathways of dusk With the stars in their tresses, and odors of musk In their moon-woven draperies, spangled with dews, And looped up with lilies for lovers to use In the songs that they sing to the tinkle and beat Of their sweet serenadings through Lockerbie Street. O Lockerbie Street! You are fair to be seen! Be it noon of the day, or the calm and serene Afternoon, or the night, you are one to my heart ; And I love you above all the phrases of Art; For no language may frame, and no lips may repeat My rhyme-haunted raptures o'er Lockerbie Street. James Wuitcoms RILEY. #£SOP REVISED. THE HARE AND THE HOUND, A HOUND while perambulating through the wilds of Jersey in company with a Hare-Hunter was scared half to death by a rea/ rabbit which emerged from a bush by the roadside. After the noble dog had been brought to, a Mosquito remarked, “You had a narrow escape, my friend.” ‘Yes,’ replied the Hound, “ you may say so. I have hunted for the past fifteen years in these regions, I have run with the Meadow Brook Hunt after aniseed bags, time and time again; I have had my tail shot off and my ears pierced by a crack shot from Murray Hill; I have met every kind of hirsute animal from a Welch Rarebit to a Missing Heir, but a real live Hare in Jersey, Heavens! I like to died. You were right in saying that I had a hare-breadth escape !” After perpetrating the above the dog was so stung by remorse and mosquitos that he surrendered his apparition, MoRAL: Never be surprised at anything that happens in Jersey. THE EXPONENT OF THE DARWINIAN THEORY AND THE TRANS- PORTER OF THE DESERT. At a Base-Ball game between the Beasts—and the game is often played by beasts—the Monkey, who sat on first base, put in some pretty fine work, having practised with cocoanuts, in his native climb. The Camel who was supposed to be a dis- interested observer of the game thought he too would like to get his back on, and do a little showing off. As ill luck would have it, however, he missed an easy fly, whereat the Beasts waxed highly indignant as well as the camel and drew odious compari. sons betwixt the case in point and the Scriptural text about “straining at a gnat.” The Monkey gave him the last straw and after breaking his back remarked: “ You'd better stick to hump-iring.” This saying exasperated the ussembled multitude even more than the Camel’s muff, and Darwin's brother was promptly expired. Morac: ‘T is better to be an Umpire in a Base-Ball match than a Funny Man, J. K. Banes. comicbooks.com