Life, 1883-09-13 · page 14 of 16
Life — September 13, 1883 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two elements: a two-panel cartoon and a humorous poem (ballade). **The Cartoon:** The left panel shows a man offering tea to a cat ("Pussy"), suggesting it will "brace her up." The right panel depicts the cat having consumed the tea and become wildly energized—jumping about, appearing almost possessed. This is a simple visual joke about the stimulating effects of caffeine on animals, playing on Victorian sensibilities about proper behavior. **The Poem:** The "Ballade" is a satirical take on romantic idealization. The narrator becomes infatuated with a beautiful, accomplished woman—until he sees her in a bathing suit, which apparently destroys his romantic illusions. The repeated refrain "I've seen her in her bathing suit!" suggests that viewing women in casual, undressed states reveals some unflattering physical reality that contradicts their carefully maintained public image. The satire mocks both male romantic fantasy and women's performative femininity in 1880s society. The poem is credited to James B. Townsend, dated August 1883, likely from Narragansett Pier, a fashionable resort.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Woutp Pussy LIKE A LITTLE TEA? "T WILL BRACE HER UP.” SHE BRACED ; THOUGH SHE WAS NOT PAR- TO HOT DRINKS. BALLADE. HE wears the daintiest of clothes, The most bewitching style of hat, She always has a troop of beaus Who ne'er can find out what she's at ; She's always bright und fond of fun, And you should hear her play the flute ; But, oh, ye gods what have I done?— I've seen her in her bathing suit ! I scarce had met this charmer fair, When I, a captive at her feet, Determined to do all and dare To win this maid of all most sweet. I waited on her morn and noon, I brought her offerings, flowers, fruit ; But, oh, ye gods, what have I done — I've seen her in her bathing suit ! I thought her sometimes half divine, Too fair, too sweet for this cold sphere; In dreams I dared to call her mine, Then waked to shed a hopeless tear. Now paled my star, eclipsed my sun, Faded my love, romance to boot, For, ob, ye gods, what have I done? I've seen her in her bathing suit ! L'Exvol, My earnest suit was scarce begun, Cupid had hardly aimed to shoot, When, oh, ye gods, what could be done ?— I saw her in her bathing suit ! Oh, read this lesson as ye run, Ye youths whom Cupid e’er does shoot : If e’er a maiden would be won, Do n't view her in her bathing suit. James B, Townsenv. NARRAGANSETT Pier, August, 1883. comicbooks.com