Life, 1883-09-20 · page 4 of 16
Life — September 20, 1883 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, September 20, 1883 The page contains a satirical story about a poker game at the Thompson Street Poker Club. The narrative describes a game between Mr. Williams and Mr. Johnson that escalates into heated wagering and accusations of cheating. Johnson draws cards and claims victory, while Williams raises the stakes progressively. The dialogue captures period-appropriate dialect and slang ("jess," "niggah"), reflecting 1880s vernacular. The satire appears to mock lower-class gambling culture and the social dynamics of card games—specifically the suspicions, bluffing, and escalating conflicts that emerge during play. The accompanying illustration at the page's top depicts an urban scene, likely referencing the Thompson Street location. The text is primarily humorous social commentary rather than political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1155 Broapway, New York, Published every Thursday, $5 a year in advance, postage free. Single copies, 10 cents. M®. JAMES H. STEVENS, sub-assistant junior deputy local inspector of boilers in this city is, according to our highly esteemed contemporary, the Vew York World, inclined to think that no man can properly inspect the bottom of a boiler unless he screws his eye to a pole and thrusts it in through the safety valve. Mr. Stevens may not be the most prominent scientist employed as a witness in the Riverdale case, but his candor shows him to be fully up to the standard of competence required for inspectors in this port. * % 9 R, ROBERT B. ROOSEVELT is kicking like a mule.— Albany Times, Naturally. How else? 6. 46 tgs J" is generally a cold day when an Arctic expedition gets left. s 8 8 ‘PRE Thompson Street Poker Club had an unusually quiet game, with the luck steadily against Mr. Tooter Wil- liams, until an unusually tough jack-pot brightened up the inter- est. Mr, Williams glanced across the table and saw the eyes of Mr. Gus. Johnson shining with the light of something very big. Mr. Williams passed. Mr. Whiffles passed. Mr. Johnson opened the pot with a defiant air and forty-six cents in mutilated coin, The dealer, Mr. Rube Jackson, came in. Mr. Williams promptly raised the bet two punched quarters and a ten cent stamp. ‘* Whuffer yo rise dat?” asked Mr. Johnson, whom this extra- ordinary action excited. Nebber yo’ mine,” said Mr. Williams sullenly. put up er shut up—dat'’s all.” “«'Spose I'se got three jacks an’ rise yo’ back?” suggested Mr. Johnson. “And ‘spose I’se got a flisk—ch ?—jess—jess ‘spose I’se got a flisk—niggah :—whar 's yo’ three jacks—eh?" Mr. Williams breathed very hard and glared at Mr. Johnson till even that gen- tleman’s vest buttons were cold. Mr, Johnson faltered, ran his hand over twice, sized up the pot, and decided he'd “ jess call.” They then proceeded to draw cards. Mr. Williams thought he ‘d play what he had. “ Jess yo" Mr. Johnson drew two cards to three tens and caught a pair of nines, This considerably reassured him. He bet thirty cents with the remark ; ‘ Now jess go ahead on dat flisk—jess fool away yo’ substance much as yo’ choose.” Mr. Williams thoughtfully raised him forty cents and a plug of tobacco. Mr. Johnson saw the raise and retaliated by wagering a plated watch-guard and a pair of spectacles, borrowed from the Rey. Thankful Smith who sat behind him. Mr, Williams raised back. And so it went until there was nothing left to bet except the lamp and table, which were common property, inalienable under the constitution. “Now, niggah,” said Mr. Williams, “jess show down dem jacks.” “‘Thaint got no jacks,” said Mr, Johnson. had three ten-speckers, befo’ de draw, dat 's what / want ter see.” ‘Well, I haint got no flisk,” said Mr. Williams. ‘+ What has yo’ got? Show up yo’ straight,” demanded Mr. Johnson. “* Haint got no straight.” ‘*Show up dat two par, den.” ‘* Haint got no two par.” “ What has yo’ got den, niggah ?” Mr. Johnson was beginning to have his suspicions. Mr. Williams slowly and triumphantly skinned out three jacks and a pair of trays. Mr. Johnson rose to leave the room. “I doan mine losen my substance, an’ I doan mine a squar’ beat, but I doan draw no mo’ cyards agin a liar.” “Twas lyin’, I Show down yo’ flisk— es 8 8 FOURTEEN hundred parrots arrived here Thursday from Tampico, This shows just how the pollytical situation stands. o 8 8 ORMERLY: ‘ The Republican Party must GO !! Now: ‘In view of recent facts, and in consonance with the opinions of the ablest political economists who have investi- gated the subject, we are of the opinion that if the Republican Party should at any time be pleased to consider the interests of its Democratic adversaries, it might be induced to think seriously of taking a brief vacation, and we shall be glad to hear proposi- tions to that effect.” es 8 8 «¢ J CAME, I saw, but I decline to admit that I am conquered." —Courtney. es es @ “cc J SEE the papers are making a great fuss over the fact that I refused to allow a Mr, Wales to be presented to me. He was nice enough looking, but Papa Griffin says a girl can't be too particular with these foreigners, especially when you don't know the family.""—Afary Anderson, comicbooks.com