Life, 1886-04-22 · page 3 of 16
Life — April 22, 1886 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Before the Wedding" - Page Analysis This page contains a poem titled "Before the Wedding" by Ernest De Lancy Pierson, accompanied by an illustration showing a bride-to-be preparing for her wedding day. The poem humorously advises the bride to hide evidence of her emotions—brushing away tears, smoothing her hair, hiding photographs—before her groom arrives to claim his bride. The satirical point mocks the expectation that brides should appear perfectly composed and "daintily arrayed," suppressing genuine feeling. Below the poem, a separate section titled "Asking Too Much" presents dialogue between working-class characters (Misser Burt and John) discussing hardship and financial struggle, with folksy dialect. The humor derives from their resigned acceptance of misfortune and mutual advice to "trust in the Lord." The page reflects early 20th-century attitudes about gender performance and working-class stoicism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Bees those idle tears away. Fie! upon your wedding day To be crying, I must say, Seems quite out of place. This is rather late to start Finding that you have a heart ‘Neath that filmy lace. Soon he'll come to claim his bride ; Do not let him see you ‘ve cried. What, are you not satisfied With the price he paid ? Surely it was large enough For a doll in silk and fluff, Daintily arrayed. There ‘s the step upon the stair; Smooth those tangles in your hair ; An expression of despair Makes you sadly pale. Hurry, hide that photograph, Go and read love's epitaph At the altar rail! Ernest De Lancey Pierson. ASKING TOO MUCH. “cs ISSER BURT, I'se had a bad pull agin. Ef hit war n't for you an’ de Lord, an’ one or two odder gen'l'm'n, I'd been in de seminary larng ago.” “So, John?” “Yes, sir. De las’dime am gone. Dar am nuffin’ lef’ but fluff in dis yere pocket ; and dat yer odder pocket,” he con- tinued, striking his abdomen, “am holler all de way fru.” “What did you do with the corn meal I sent you last Thursday ?”” “Decorn meal? Yessir. De ole woman she made dat yer up into hoe-cake. But—hol’ on a minit, Misser Burt— de ole woman, she says, ‘John Peter,’ she says, ‘dar am on'y a pinch ob de meal lef’.’. *‘On’ya pinch?’ I says. ‘Yes,’ she says. Now, Misser Burt, what did she do wid dat yer pinch? Frow it away? No, sir; she mixed dat pinch wid sawdust ; yessir. Den she backum crisp an’ brown an’ give ‘em to de chil’ren.” “T see, John, you ‘ve had hard luck. But trust in the Lord and He will provide.” “Dat’s jess wat I's been a doin’ fur de las’ y'ar, Misser Burt, an’ dar's war I git lef’. But de Good Book say, ‘Him dat gibs to de po’ len’s to de Lord.’ Doan’ yo’ want to len’ two dollars to de Lord, Misser Burt ?” “I have a cord of pine wood in my back yard, John, that ought to be split up. Get your axe and do the job and I'll pay you two dollars.” : “ An’ leab de chil’ren all alone to fool wif matches an’ set fire to the house? Great king! W’en night time come dey wouldn’t be nuff ashes lef’ ob dat property to fill dis yer pipe. Go larng, Misser Burt, I allers want ter be ‘commo- datin’, but now yer axin’ too much.” HV.S, HERE seems to have been an epidemic of steamer disasters. The City of New York needs hauling off and pumping out more than any of them. ‘A PURL.OF GREAT PRICE—Niagara Falls. It isrumored that Mary Anderson is engaged to a Hindoo snake charmer. comicbooks.com