Life, 1885-04-23 · page 3 of 16
Life — April 23, 1885 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The German" - Analysis This page from *Life* magazine presents a satirical dialogue poem about romantic jealousy, illustrated with an ornate Art Nouveau design featuring the title "The German." The poem depicts a love triangle: a woman ("She") seated with her German partner, who is drawing Nellie McVickar in "yellow and red." The speaker expresses jealousy and resentment—she feels neglected and compares herself unfavorably to this other woman. The man dismisses her concerns, describing the other woman's beauty flirtatiously. The humor lies in the speaker's wounded pride and dramatic declarations of indifference masking clear distress. The "German" likely references the partner's nationality, common for ethnic humor in period *Life* magazine. The ornate illustration suggests this is light social satire about romantic rivalry among fashionable society figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
2 GhE has seated herself for the German @ Saith her partner —a fool of a boy, Whose money and beauty have made him A drawing-room darling, a toy. SHE. He is sitting directly before me, And my heart grows as heavy as lead, For he's drawing with Nellie McVickar A study in yellow and red. CQ All my hfe I shall hate those two colors— She looks so superbly to-night ; And I—I must look like a dowdy In my poor little dress of plain white. HE. She is peerlessly, perfectly lovely — So dainty, so fresh, and so fair ; Like one of those delicate flowers That lie 'mid the gold of her hair. SHE, He is thinking of no one but Nellie, He do n't even give me a glance ; I'd get him away from that creature If I only had half of a chance. 227 Oh! I think I am very unhappy-! But I can't wear my heart on my sleeve. I wish I could tell him I — like him, I'm tired of making believe. HE. < How she looks at that donkey beside her, With a smile on her exquisite lips. Pah! she's like all the rest of the women — A flirt to her finger-tips. But she shan’t count me in as a victim, I will not be caught in her net ; “a She may flirt ‘till she's tired with others, I decline to amuse a coquette. are SHE, I am going to give him a favor, If it's wanting in pride 1 don’t care; I'll just run up to him gaily And wear my most infantile air. HE, She is coming this way, my fair dar- ling— She is leading me out for the waltz ; Whata brute I have been to resist her— What a fool.to imagine her false ! SHE. His dear arm is stealing around me— HE. She is lifting to me her sweet cyes— BOTH. On the throb and the swell of the music We float into Paradise ! M. Este. comicbooks.com