Life, 1886-04-15 · page 7 of 16
Life — April 15, 1886 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 217 **Main Content: "The Two Wise Men" (After Mother Goose)** This poem satirizes two local politicians through nursery-rhyme format. The first "wise man" visits a bucket shop (an illegal gambling operation), loses his money, then recovers it by jumping into another shop—suggesting he regains wealth through similarly dubious means. The second wise man, described as "a staunch old Democrat," thought he'd visit Washington, got "fat," and now votes for "reasons very 'pat'"—satirizing political corruption and the spoils system where politicians benefit personally from office. The accompanying illustration shows two men at a dining table, captioned about "economy-bent" wishes and luncheon providing "dried-apples and-water," mocking politicians' hypocritical claims of frugality while enriching themselves. The satire targets turn-of-century American political corruption and graft.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: T HE unprejudiced man must also look on the other side. He must as frankly own that here are strange conceits which would furnish material for a hundred tales; not a trick that is borrowed from any other writer; the stamp of originality on every page; aclear style, as pleasant and sunny as the Virginia landscape which he pictures on an October day; nothing morbid, nothing sentimental, nothing sad; and through it all a kindly spirit which would add nothing but pleasure to a too-gloomy world. Droch. * NEW BOOKS «+ VAN HARRINGTON, A Novel. By George Meredith. New edition. Boston: Roberts Brothers, An Italian Garden. A Book of Songs. By A. Mary F. Robinson, Boston: Roberts Brothers. A Desperate Chance, By J.D. Jerrold Kelley. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. The Life of a Prig. By One. Henry Holt & Co. Bus ; or, The Life and Adventures of a Honey Bee. By Maurice Noel. ' Henry Holt & Co. 3 IGHT gains make a heavy purse.” If you doubt this look at the gas men. 217 FOREIGN ITEMS. W HEN the Czar reaches the Crimea he will drive through the country in an iron-clad ship put on wheels and drawn by two thousand oxen. A very old painting has been unearthed in Florence. It was painted during the Second Punic War, and represents a Roman Senator sitting on a stump and eating a plate of macaroni, while in the background an organ-grinder makes music for a lot of children. A connoisseur from Philadelphia promptly offered $100,000,000 for the treasure, but it was refused. THE Sultan says that he has been on the horse-rack of uncertainty so long that he would like to stir up a general war in order to rest his nerves. FAM. “WE meet but to part,” as the brush in the dude's hand said to the comb. EN who are always giving themselves away are no more generous than others. THE TWO WISE MEN. (AFTER MOTHER GOOSE.) HERE was a man in our town, In “ margins ” so astute, Once visited a ‘‘ bucket shop,” And soon his cash was “loot ’— But when he found his cash was gone, With all his might and main, He jumped into another “shop” And won it back again. ENVOI. So now this wise man number 1, Who was so wondrous rash, No longer visits “* bucket shops,” And hence retains his cash. A second wise man in our town, A staunch old Democrat ; Who thought he’d visit Washington, And get an office “ fat ’’"— But when he found his trip was vain, Thro’ “ Civil Service,” say, He jumped aboard another train, And homeward took his way. ENVOI, So now this wise man number 2, Who yearned for office “ fat,” No longer votes as formerly ; For reasons very “pat.” W. G. Smith. “swell A Howlina’s °On €conomy-hent . aA* *lLancheon: {n Lent: Dried-apples: -anc: waler- She served: lout it- -laugnt ner i | brings: comicbooks.com