Life, 1885-02-26 · page 11 of 16
Life — February 26, 1885 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Fickle Gale" and Related Satire **The Main Cartoon**: An illustrated poem mocking a man's infatuation with a woman whose wind-blown skirts and loose hair briefly expose her ankles and legs. The "fickle gale" allows him a fleeting, accidental glimpse. The humor targets both his shallow attraction to physical exposure and the absurdity of Victorian propriety—where merely seeing a woman's ankles is scandalous enough to cause emotional turmoil ("wildly palpitate"). **The Surrounding Satire**: Three brief comic pieces mock social pretensions: Boston girls are so unappealing that moving there prevents marriage; a child asks for a Bible as a birthday gift only to receive his brother's already-finished copy (implying religious indifference); and state demonyms create ridiculous linguistic tangles (Coloradudes, Michigeese, Tennesseesickans). The overall tone is lighthearted social commentary on Victorian manners, religious hypocrisy, and naming conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A FICKLE GALE. . DROP of rain, a sudden gust, A dark cloud in the sky ; I turned my head and saw her just As she was passing by. Her ribbons fluttered back and forth, And through the gauzy veiling O tempora! O mores! too; O heart, the slave of fate, To think that for a maiden’s shoe You wildly palpitate! And you, my fair Anonymous, You ‘ve left a joy that rankles ; How naughty ‘t was, my dear, to thus Expose two pretty ankles ! IDLE IDYLLER. There came a wind from out the north That set her loose locks sailing. I'm rather fond of rosy girls I see upon the street ; I'm fond of litttle forehead-curls, I'm fond of little feet. I'm rather partial to the wind— A moderate procella— That whisks the veil securely pinned, And tosses the umbrella. OUT OF HARM'S WAY. The following touching tribute to the cultured Boston girl appeared in the columns of our esteemed contemporary, the N.Y. Times, last week: Rich Uncle on his death-bed to nephew will make you my heir, John, on one condition, and that is you are never to marry. Néphew—I accept the condition, uncle. Rich Uncle—How will you be able to resist the temptation ? Nephew—I will move to Boston. We are not surprised that the 7smes’ popularity is on the dec! ae in Massachusetts. FROM A FINANCIAL POINT OF VIEW. Freddie: Mamma, I'll be ten years old next Sunday. Can i have a Testament and Psalms like Willie had when he was ten? Mamma : Of course you can, my darling boy, and you can read a chapter every night with Willie. Willie; What's the use of buying him anew one? He can have mine. I ‘ve finished it. THE NATIONAL H1M.--President Arthur. HOW SHALL WE DESIGNATE INHABITANTS OF STATES? es problem has been a vexing one for a considerable period, and seems to be as far from solution now as when first propounded. Naturally the citizens of Maine object as strenuously to the term Maniacs as do the citizens of Colorado to the term Coloradudes. To the Wisconsinner these names seem ap- propriate to the States named, but the penultimation and anti-penultimation of his own name “sinner” he strongly condemns. The Michigander objects to his name because it will not apply to the lady inhabitants who threaten a revolt if called Michigeese, while the citizens of two Southern States declare they will secede if the rest of the Union call them Tennesseesickans and Kentuckites. The New Jersey man is rather proud to be designated a New Jersitalian, but Delaware-are-ye is considered in the peach State as a reflection on its size. The Vermont people were once proud of the term Green Mountain Boys, but in these days of bunko in our large cities, where they some- times visit, they regard with indignation anything reflecting upon their sophisticism. In its sister State, New Hampshire, comicbooks.com