Life, 1886-05-13 · page 3 of 16
Life — May 13, 1886 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 269 **The Main Poem: "The Spinet"** This romantic poem depicts a couple at sunset—a man and woman at a musical instrument (spinet/piano). The narrative describes their emotional distance: his heart "strings d'er" as on the spinet, he's too weak and cowardly to speak his feelings. Love ultimately "creeps away" as twilight falls. The poem is sentimental Victorian romance, exploring themes of unrequited affection and missed emotional connection. **Practical Advice Sections Below** The page includes humorous cost-saving tips ("How to Save Money and Keep Out of Debt") and a letter to the editor regarding prisoner exchanges with the United States and Native American concerns. These sections provide satire on domestic economy and contemporary policy debates, typical of Life's mixed editorial approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE SPINET. N gown of white at sunset light She sits and plays upon her spinet, And falling clear upon bis ear, Come forth the dainty airs within it. Unconsciously her fingers stray His heart strings o’er, as on the spinet, Love makes him weak ; he dares not speak ; His coward tongue cannot begin it. The twilight falls adown the walls, Yet softly on her fair form lingers A last red glow, as, loth to go, The sun leaves kisses on her fingers. The moments fly ; her faint hopes die, And vanish with the fading day : The airs grow sad that once were glad, And Love, discouraged, creeps away. They both are gone ; now quite forlorn In dusty attic stands the spinet ; And naught remains to mark Love's pains, Except the airs she found within it. HOW TO SAVE MONEY AND KEEP OUT OF | DEBT. | N the first place, do away with the expense of a family physician. Be your own doctor. Limit your wife to seven bonnets a year. Play straight poker ; no jack-pots. Save the old wine bottles and sell to a junk dealer. Write poetry for the magazines, Give up your pew in church, Take one less Sunday paper. Spend one evening at home every week. amounting to $364 per annum. Pay cash for everything, if you have to borrow the money. "HV.S. Item, $7 saved, EFORE marriage a girl speaks to her lover with her eyes; after marriage, with her tongue. A NON-COMMITTAL ANSWER—The charge is dismissed. A LETTER. ON-THE-JUMP—ALONG-THE-RIO-GRANDE, | May 6, 1886. s Editor Lire : WOULD like to get your opinion as to the chances of making arrangements with the United States authorities for exchanging prisoners. The prisoners whom I capture generally die as soon as they are taken, but I am willing to swap three dead pale faces for one | live Apache, and to maintain a cartel of exchange on this basis, If this is not satisfactory to your people, I will give two ponies for one Indian. Please let me know what your people think about my propo- sition. We Indians need a larger United States army as a source of sup- plies, whisky and hair. If your army remains as small as it is, I'm afraid that we shall starve. We have in stock some drawing material, dirty collars, pocket flask and hair, taken from a sketch-artist, which we would like to sell you at a bargain. The artist died of concussion of the brain soon after his capture. If you wish to buy this stuff, please make a written Proposition, and send the letter to Gen. Miles. GERONIMO, Ber ¥. A. Macon, comicbooks.com