Life, 1885-02-05 · page 3 of 16
Life — February 5, 1885 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "One for the Anglomaniac" - Cartoon Analysis This cartoon satirizes wealthy Americans who affected British mannerisms and fashion. A well-dressed "citizen" confronts an "Anglomaniac" (a person obsessed with English culture) about his absurdly expensive walking shoes—allegedly costing $500 and made from leather of "a dozen pellahs" (likely "fellaheen," Egyptian peasants). The joke targets conspicuous consumption and pretentious Anglophilia: the Anglomaniac has adopted British affectations while paying exorbitant sums for status symbols. The citizen's sarcastic comment about being "the thirteenth" to wear such shoes mocks the absurdity of the expense. The page also contains unrelated romantic poetry ("An Eclipse of Venus") by Idle Idvller, suggesting typical magazine miscellany of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ONE FOR THE ANGLOMANIAC. Time, a bright afternoon last week, Citizen (looking at anglomantac's feet): RAINING IN ENGLAND, I SUPPOSE? Anglomaniac: THIRTEENTH ! Citizen: THIRTEENTH ? WHAT'S THIRTEENTH ? Anglomantac: 1 MADE A BET OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS WITH STEBBINS THAT A DOZEN FELLAHS WOULD GET THAT OFF ON ME AS ORIGINAL IN WALKING FROM FOURTEENTH STREET TO THE PARK; AND YOU ARE THE THIRTEENTH, SO FAR, TA! TA! AN ECLIPSE OF VENUS. 1 longed to see her rosy face Below her soft brown hair, VE silt soodsbie when all the birds And so I sought the charmed place, Flew homeward to the South ; ‘And waited for her there. Two very unimportant words Framed in a rosebud mouth ; O, where was Edith—where was she I held a slender hand awhile— Who once had graced this spot ? I knew it wasn’t right— Here was the seat beneath the tree, And when I missed her sunny smile, But Edith—she was not. It seemed the depth of night. Ye stars above that shine so pure, Hear my Apocalypse ! A very common incident, My star was on her wedding tour, Yet when a year had passed, And I was in eclipse. foresibveven Whate'er I did, where’er 1 went, — 8 i Remembrance held it fast ; On HER BEAM ENps—The Sun. comicbooks.com