Life, 1884-07-24 · page 11 of 16
Life — July 24, 1884 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This page satirizes the contrast between American Puritan morality and Dutch colonial materialism, set in 1684. The cartoon shows a Puritan preacher denouncing worldly wealth while Dutch settlers (represented by caricatured figures with exaggerated accents) reply that they're not accumulating treasure for themselves—they're building an aristocracy for posterity, contradicting the preacher's spiritual message. The accompanying article describes "Miss Burst," "The Electric Wonder," a stage performer who uses apparent magnetic or electrical powers to violently throw objects (an umbrella, a chair) at volunteer audience members. The humor derives from the absurdity: spectators witness destructive chaos yet describe it enthusiastically as impressive entertainment. Together, the page mocks both historical hypocrisy and contemporary credulity—how people rationalize contradictions and accept obvious fakery as genuine spectacle.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ANCESTRAL. TIME, A.D., 1684. Puritan: OH YE GODLESS ONES! LAY NOT UP TREASURES FOR YOURSELVES ON EARTH WHERE MOTH AND RUST DOTH CORRUPT, AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND STEAL! Chorus of Morris Dutchmen: SHOOST VAIT AVILE; VE VAS NOT LAYING OOP DREASURES FOR OURSELF, PUT VOR VAT YOU CALL BOSTERITY. WE ARE GOING TO FOUND AN ARISTOCRACY, DON 'D IT? Miss Burst, it may be said, although possessed of a great deal of “ personal magnetism,” is not from Maine. She is a Louisiana blonde, wears an eight-inch smile, a thirteen shoe and is certainly very “ attractive.” The first test of her powers was as follows: A young man (well known in athletic circles) was in- duced to come upon the stage, and, standing in full view of the audience, held in both hands a closed umbrella, which was loaned by an obliging spectator. The young man grasped the umbrella firmly, and held it in front of him at arms’ length. The Electric Wonder thoughtfully stroked her bang, regulated her smile, and then softly touched the umbrella with the palm of her hand. The umbrella excitedly flew from the young man’s hands—smote him four times on the left occipital bone of his cranium, thrice on the right parietal bone, and nine riid a half times on the nose. When the young man had been picked up and court- plastered, the audience asked him to tell them all about it. He described it as quite a celebration, and said the fire-works were | as brilliant as any he had ever seen. The Roman-candles he considered particularly brilliant. Meanwhile the stage-mana- ger was trying to find enough of the umbrella to return to the obliging spectator. A scientific expert present stated that in his opinion the owner of the umbrella felt much worse than the young man. In the next experiment, a stout man with a freckled countenance did a double song and dance act with a cane-seat chair, although he did his best to pose in a dignified position with one arm resting on the back of the chair, as if he was having his tin-type taken. When the chair got done with him, he was found to have lost three | waistcoat buttons, and every single freckle. Various appli- comicbooks.com