Life, 1885-08-06 · page 11 of 16
Life — August 6, 1885 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 81: Satirical Commentary on Labor and Logic This page combines short humorous pieces with social commentary. The main cartoon depicts a domestic scene with the caption "Nothing from Nothing"—illustrating a math lesson where Fred attempts to teach Sally basic arithmetic using apples. The joke plays on her literal interpretation: if he gives her five apples and she eats two, she'll have three left, yet she insists she'll have five in her hands and two in her stomach. The surrounding text mocks various professions' demands for shorter hours. The author (B. Merry) sarcastically argues that police, street musicians (Italian hand-organ grinders), and others deserve half-holidays or pensions, presenting absurdly exaggerated cases to ridicule the "early closing movement"—labor advocates pushing for reduced working hours. The satire suggests such reforms are impractical and that certain workers' complaints are overblown. Various wordplay jokes fill the margins, typical of Life's format.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. PJ: “Lire is funny, isn't it?" She: “ It would be awfully funny if it were not, you know, since it is | a funny paper!” “ PENNY for your thought said she, “T can’t their object guess.” “Why seek, my dear, to buy,” said he, “ That which you now possess ?” A BACK-BITER—The mosquito. WHEN beer-drinkers fall out in a bar-room, are they not at logger- heads? ¢¢ T NSURE your life ?" an agent said. - The gambler gave a grin: * No, no, my friend, I play no game If I have to die to win.” R.JULIAN HAWTHORNE | publishes a “ Talk With the Devil,” in the 7rébune. We congratulate the author upon getting his interview published officially. | Harp Worpvs—“ Rock” “ stone.” and Sally: Five. Fred.: TIGHT aS A BOTTLE—A hard drinker. TUMMIC, Fred.: Now, SALLY, 1F I GIVE You HOW MANY WILL YOU HAVE? WHY NO, SALLY. | Sally: YeS 1 SHALL. NOTHING FROM NOTHING. FIVE APPLES, AND VOU EAT TWO IF YOU EAT TWO YOU WILL ONLY HAVE THREE. I'LL HAVE FREE IN MY HANDS AND TWO IN MY . He has often been urged to take a little recreation from | his business, but he so loves the dear public that he will resort to every subterfuge to serve it, going so far as to run the risk of incarceration in jail for the sake of his patrons. This is a clear and urgent case which should be looked after | at once by the advocates of early closing. Another class of public servants suffering, I am told, from too long hours is that made up of the gentle and tender- hearted members of the police force. The finest are kept so busy holding up front yard fences, entertaining nurse maids, and dealing playful love taps upon the heads of inoffensive | citizens, that when their hours of labor are over they scarcely have energy enough left to beat their way into the concert saloons and dance halls for a little recreation. The mem- bers of the finest are noted for their sensitiveness, and while they never complain of their hard ‘ot, the manner in which they are treated must rankle up their souls. If they could be given say a half holiday twice every twenty- four hours, their absence would never be missed and justice | would be done all round. The Park policemen are said to be especially in need of rest, and it might be well to try the | experiment first on that branch of the guardians of the public peace. The sunny sons of Italy, who amass great fortunes cul- | tivating the public ear through turning the crank of a hand- organ, should receive more sympathy from the public. At present every just-minded citizen must confess that the hand- organ professors of the divine art have altogether too long hours. It might be well to retire them on pensions, say for a couple of thousand years or so, in order to give them a real good rest. There are other branches of industry, such as blowing fish-horns, writing spring poetry, and starting “long felt | want" newspapers, which it might be well for those engaged | in the early closing movement to look after. i B. Merry.