Life, 1884-08-28 · page 1 of 16
Life — August 28, 1884 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Father Gander's Melody" - Life Magazine, August 28, 1884 This political cartoon satirizes a military or political figure (depicted as a bearded gnome-like character in military dress with a pointed hat) who is making excuses about weather being "very, very hot, hot, hot!" while allegedly neglecting his professional duties. The figure's interlocutor demands he maintain his profession "for a few weeks in succession," to which he protests "Not, not, not!" The satire appears to mock someone's excuse-making during a military campaign or political responsibility, suggesting he's shirking duties due to trivial complaints about weather. The whimsical "Father Gander" framing treats the subject mockingly, as if he were a nursery-rhyme character rather than a serious leader.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEW YORK, AUGUST 28, 1884. Entered at New Yerk Post Uifice as Second-Class Mail Matter, Grenorr sey av sJAmivcwenus FATHER GANDER’S MELODY. “ PLEASE EXCUSE MY SLIGHT DIGRESSION “Won’T YOU KEEP UP YOUR PROFESSION FROM MY CAMPAIGN OF AGGRESSION, FOR A FEW WEEKS IN SUCCESSION?” FOR THE WEATHER IS SO VERY, VERY “WELL, REALLY, GENTLE READER, I THINK Hot, HOT, HOT!” - NOT, NOT, NoT!” ~ comicbooks.com