Life, 1884-05-22 · page 13 of 16
Life — May 22, 1884 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page, May 5, 1884 This page is primarily **testimonial advertisements** for H. Warner's Bitters, a patent medicine. The "letters" praising the product are satirical — they feature recognizable 1884 political figures endorsing the bitters with absurd claims. **The figures referenced:** - **James G. Blaine**: 1884 Republican presidential candidate, humorously claiming the bitters cured railway-induced malaise - **Mrs. Logan** (via Senator John A. Logan): wife of the Civil War general, jokingly attributing memory improvement to the tonic - **Mike Creghan**: appears to be a Democratic operative; his letter mocks Republican James Tilden, joking Tilden shouldn't use the bitters or "he will run again" **The satire:** Life ridicules patent medicine advertising by having prominent politicians endorse quack tonics for implausible ailments (memory loss, general weakness). This mocks both the credulous testimonial culture and the politicians themselves. The page also contains unrelated humorous anecdotes and period advertisements for fine arts, tailoring, and whiskey.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE WASHINGTON, May sth, 1884. Mr. H. WARNER,— Dear Sir:—A few evenings ago I read your advertisement in RENDER VNTO SCISSORS THOSE the New York Zuening Post, which I was just finishing perusing, THINGS WHICH ARE SCISSORS - accompanied with a sensation of goneness, but by procuring a bottle of your bitters the feeling one often has after railroading APROPOS. passed off. It isan excellent thing. Do the druggists in Chi- (O VOT is all ds earthly Bliss, cago have it? Yours truly, James G. BLAINE. And vot is man’s sooccess ? And vot is various oder dings, And what is habbiness ? We make deposits in a pank, U. S. SENATE, May 4th, 1884. wey the pank is prea: if nd smash our outsides in, My Dear WARNER :—At the request of Mrs. Logan I write to Vere We a ded Strike wake. Hinks: Byeitmian, tell you what a benefactor you are to me. I have for many years 0) SHRRORLA GO ROSWD, si aes j LOVE MAK! vORLI xD. been troubled with a loss of memory, which is especially trouble- some in my use of English and in spelling, Having tried almost “T do n't want to interfere in your family matters, my dear friend ; : ; but I would advise you to watch carefully your oldest daughter and everything, I finally 4o¢ a bottle of your Bitters and feel now | your coachman.” equal to talking to wide, wide world. I shall recommend it to “ What have you seen,” he asked, anxiously, ‘to arouse your sus- picions ?” the G. A. R. Yours, etc., “Nothing tangible,” was the reply ; ‘but you had better keep a HN A, LoGaN. sharp eye out.” Jou a" “Great St. Denis !’ murmured the old gentlemen, “is it possible that Maria has found a lover at last ? It seems too good to be true.”— New York, May 34, 1884. Phil. Eve. Call. DEAR WARNER :—The other day, as Barney, Steve and I were “« Dip you see this shooting ?” asked His Honor. on our way from Utica feeling rather weak, we decided on seeing | * Waite dia ee your advertisements to try your Bitters.. Barney took two bottles “Well, Judge, this gentleman and I were going along, and the and Steve and I took one each; it was foine! away ahead of | young man who was shot was whistling ‘Sweet Violets,’ when, sud- + » ° A ‘ i od, * She 7 A quinine ; but don’t let Tilden have any of it or he will run again. | $501% "being a vers oblicieg person shot himn, ee nd my If you wish any policemen’s certificates as to benefits derived, I “ And are you sure the man was whistling ‘ Sweet Violets’ at the will supply them. Yours respectfully, tees Juage” MIKE CREGHAN. “« The prisoner is discharged.”—Kentucky State Yournal. “A NOVEL OF GENUINE GRADY & McKEEVER, » LATE Cavanagh, Sanford & Co., POWER and VITALITY. RENNER & COMPANY, j Says the Christian Union of pratense in Merchant Tailors Stratford-by-the-Sea. F INE AR TS. and Importers, 16mo., (American Novel Series), $1.00. Designers and Manufacturers ot 16 West 23d STREET, HENRY HOLT & CO., N. Y. | EVERY DESCRIPTION OF PICTURE FRAMES, No. 719 SIXTH AVE., New York. No one can furnish FACTORY, 218 W. 42d STREET. Opposite sth Ave. Hotel, NEW YORK. All the latest London Fabrics regularly imported. ASKIN OF BEAU Is AJOY FOREVER. ag Old Crow ” Rye Oriental orca’ ‘or Magical Beautifier Removes : baa Sour-Mash Whiskey BD eebeaaies 4 z Gs crerpalimish unless purchased from us. Ly one ates te : and ‘aro We have taken every barrel > has sig tte ited $0 all etyles of writing. made since Fanuary, 1872. / z Ison, Blakeman, Taylor & Con N. Y- We have also HERMIT- . = AGE three to seven years Hralle name. old, all sold absolutely pure, | * ns gusbed Dr. uncolored, unsweetened. Chana fai oF al tse Skin Preparations. cyan ’ ° te will Aiea a six months, using it every day. Also Poudre RESP USTaES tartans ary tothegkin- . PF For sale b; a Resey Goods Bexk HB. KIER €: COs Srotton’ te PTH Stadt and one Boa 69 Fulton St, & Broadway and 27th St. |Samtuutaens,, S000 Heward for arrest and proofot my PURIFIES as well as Boantifles the Skin, ‘No other cosmetic ‘will doit “KN ‘Aempeoig ze | ‘ssOu ‘H AUNTH comicbooks.com 4