Life — October 29, 1885 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "On the Cue" - Billiards Advice This page offers humorous sketches about billiards (pool) etiquette and technique. The cartoons depict various characters offering unsolicited advice to players: - "By Jimmy dens kissed" advises always laughing after bad shots to appear natural and skilled - A character in a top hat represents "the old duffer who haunts every billiards room" and offers free advice on how every shot should be made - The caption "A play on the sly" appears to reference sneaky or underhanded moves - The final note warns that "very heavy men should not lean upon the table" The humor satirizes the stereotype of know-it-all billiards hall regulars who freely dispense unwanted commentary and instruction to actual players, a common social irritant of the era.