Life, 1885-05-21 · page 11 of 16
Life — May 21, 1885 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Maid, Petite and Trombone Tail" This page from Life magazine features a satirical poem (attributed to Charles G.D. Roberts) about a female trombonist who captivates an admirer. The central illustration shows a woman musician surrounded by adoring male patrons in what appears to be a concert hall or beer garden. The satire operates on multiple levels: The poem mocks both the sentimental romanticism of male admirers ("cast adoring eyes / As they quaff") and the incongruity of a delicate, "petite" woman producing such powerful, unladylike sounds from a trombone. The narrator finds himself unexpectedly charmed despite his doubts ("Ah! I doubt!"), suggesting the contradiction between her refined appearance and her musical prowess. The "Society Notes" below are satirical jabs at criminals: Rugg's hanging receives praise as a social event; Fish's dinner for fellow criminal Ferdinand Ward at Sing Sing prison is presented as fashionable society gossip.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
They ‘re most liberal with sighs, Or they laugh; They cast adoring eyes As they quaff ; They exhaust their every wile Her attention to beguile. Do they ever win a smile? Not by half! Now she leans upon her chair— Not a toot ! While the leading violin And the flute Wail and plead in low duet Till, it may be, eyes are wet, She her trombone doth forget— She is mute. The music louder grows ; She's awake! She applies her lips and blows— Goodness’ sake ! To think that such a peal From such throat and frame ideal— From such tender lips could steal, Takes the cake. The dinning cymbals shrill Kiss and clash. Druni and kettle-drum at will Roll and crash. But that trombone over all Toots unto my heart a call :— Maid petste and trombone tal’ It's a mash! Yet I hesitate—for ‘u, OW grave she sits and toots What a point! In the glare ! She 's poeti« , and, I know, From her dainty bits of boots Tam stout. To her hair, In Fer little room would she Not the sign remotest shows it and toot, as thus, to me, If she either cares or knows On her trombone, tenderly ? How the beer-imbibing beaux Ah! I doubt! Sit and stare. Charles G, D. Roberts. SOCIETY NOTES. | elegant, consisting of soup 4 /a Hudson, filet of sole from R. CHARLES H. RUGG gave a neat, select hanging | the Sing Sing shops, bread paté, a ragout de pain, Sorbet which was largely attended by his friends on Friday | ¢'¢4# and many other delicacies of the locality. last. He was the recipient of much attention from the ladies a of the Murderers’ Comforter Association, and the Sheriff of A SUGGESTION. the County stated that he has not known so enjoyable an E. would suggest to Mr. Whitney that the powers of affair for years. the “Dolphin” have not yet been tested in a bout with a coal-barge ; and unless the vessel makes better time R. JAMES D. FISH will shortly give a dinner to | to the bottom of the sea than did the “ Tallapoosa,” Mr. Ferdinand Ward at his new residence at Sing Sing. | John Roach should be made to forfeit a specified percentage The collation, served by the State Catering Company, will be | of his contract to the Naval Sinking Fund. * . * comicbooks.com