Life, 1885-05-07 · page 11 of 16
Life — May 7, 1885 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This page from *Life* magazine contains two distinct satirical pieces: **"Silas Slap 'Em Rose"** (top): A mock-heroic narrative mocking a man's social climb from South End (a working-class Boston neighborhood) to prominence. The satire targets his pretensions and poor grammar as he observes wealthy railroad and telephone company executives. The humor lies in his social awkwardness and the absurdity of tracking his mundane daily meals. **"Combination No. 7"** (bottom): Two cartoons depicting business stereotypes. "A Business Man" shows a scheming figure at a desk; "A Bad Oyster/Combination" shows him literally knocked back by consequences—satirizing corrupt businessmen getting comeuppance. The accompanying "Stock Market" column uses absurdist financial jargon (mixing real stocks with nonsense like "laughing stock") to mock market speculation and manipulation, apparently referencing Grant's administration and medical advisors attempting to control market movements. The tone is cynical about both social climbing and financial corruption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
; -LIFE-: When Silas lived at the South End he kept a mug at the barber's, but now he shaved himself. His shaving stand stood before the window, and in the process of removing the hair and portions of the cuticle from his countenance, he got certain glimpses of the Common, and further on, of the resi- dences of prominent stock-holders in the Atchison and C. B. and Q. railroads, and the American Bell Telephone Co. On the front door steps of each residence stood the matutinal pot of baked beans. Thus Silas Slap "Em rose. [The other thirty-nine chapters of this remarkable novel we 263 omit, out of consideration for our readers. After an heroic struggle the author gets Silas through breakfast and down town, with the usual riumber ‘of social solecisms and lapses into alleged South End grammar. Then come variations on the same theme, entitled Luncheon and Dinner. At this lat- ter repast it appears that even alcohol discriminates against a South Ender ; though, to tell the truth, we cannot be quite sure whether Silas’s confusion of ideas is the result of wine or of the conversation.] - F. E. Chase. A GREAT CONTRACTOR—The anaconda. A Business MAN COMBINATION. COMBINATION No. 7. THE STOCK MARKET. ie following is, as far as can be ascertained, the pres- ent state of the market. Live stock, active. stock, dull. Racing stock, feverish. Lock stock and barrel booming and cheese, lively. There has been a limited movement in watered stock and laughing stock. J. Ghoul has been cry- ing, as usual, the first short, but to the great amusement of outsiders, Grant’s doctors seem determined to carry long all the latter that can be commanded. Dry Rolling stock, unsteady. Fancy stock, weak. | HIC, HEC, HOC, HEN the two Roman brothers were young, And at even’ were wont to recline Ata supper of nightingale tongue, Washed down by Falernian wine, Either one would have probably laughed himself sick At the idea that “ Hoc " ever came before “ Hic.” “AT THE SIGN OF THE LyrE"—The snake editor's office.