Life, 1885-02-26 · page 12 of 16
Life — February 26, 1885 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 124 This page contains two sections: whimsical ice-skating illustrations and satirical text. **The Cartoons:** Two simple line drawings labeled "A Fancy Skater" and "Combination" depict people performing ice-skating tricks or falling. These appear to be lighthearted sport illustrations with no apparent political content. **The Main Text:** A lengthy article humorously proposes nicknames for residents of different U.S. states. It mocks state stereotypes—Connecticut residents as "Connecticutaneous" (referencing wooden nutmegs and murders), westerners as "Kansassassins," and states like Arkansas as "Arkansasinine." The piece satirizes both regional prejudices and awkward nomenclature, advocating that each state adopt its own self-chosen term. **The "Answers to Correspondents":** This section parodies advice columns with barbed, insulting responses to apparent readers—likely fictional. References to "D'Israeli" suggest late 19th-century context. The final quip equating "Bar-tenders" with "Lawyers" offers cynical social commentary. Overall, this represents typical 19th-century American satirical magazine humor: state-based stereotyping, wordplay, and sardonic social criticism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A FANCY SKATER, COMBINATION: COMBINATION No. 5. ~ - pata) 1 the term Hampshirts has become the accepted term, the former method of designation, White Hillocks, having been condemned by the Legislature. For the last few years the Vermonter, in response to the question what he called himself, has replied that he was an Edmunds man, but as a permanent name this will hardly Pass muster. In Connecticut people are known as Connecticutaneous, because of their predilection for wooden nutmegs, and their relation to the “ skin” generally. Connecticutthroats because of the numerous murders in the past two years, and often by relatives in others States as Connections. All of these terms are good and are likely to live. It is rather rough to call some westerners Kansassassins and New Mexicoyotes, but even these names are preferable to Alabashibazouks, or the Arkansasinine, which, next to the North and South Carolunatics, have as unpleasant a designa- tion as any in the land. . To our mind the best way will be to let each State adopt its own term for its inhabitants, whereby all ill-feeling will be suppressed, and the millenium of designation given a good start. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. E. GL-DST-NE.—Yes, we would rather have died before we were born than be in your Premiership's shoes, and we agree with you in thinking that the late Mr. D'Israeli has found time to stop twanging on his golden harp to smile benignantly on your fortunes. O'Don-vaN R-ssa.—lf we were you we'd die and make a public benefactor of ourself. Verd. sap., O'Donovan ? BECKY J-NES.—You would doubtless make a great fortune as a lecturess, and if you ever get out of Ludlow Street, we would advise you to start outon a tour. Your subject should be “Silence ; Practically Illustrated.” There are thousands of people who would pay untold wealth to hear a woman hold her tongue. Wa. M. Ev-RTS.—We are prepared to give you the belt for the longest sentence on record containing the greatest amount of nothing. For emptiness you can beat a broken bottle. . BAR-TENDERS.— Lawyers. comicbooks.com