Life, 1886-05-20 · page 6 of 16
Life — May 20, 1886 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 286 **Left cartoon ("Her Smile Dispelled All Gloom"):** This appears to satirize domestic conflict. A well-dressed man confronts a woman about household mismanagement—specifically, her lending blankets to neighbors and befriending a vagrant. The accompanying text shows him angrily ejecting the visitor, sarcastically calling her charitable impulses "shameless impudence." The joke mocks both the woman's naive charity and the man's petulant, controlling response. **Right cartoon and text:** References the Cesnola monument fundraising campaign. The text discusses securing donations for an Italian scientist's memorial, with one donor offering to "pull the nose" of an Italian who refuses to contribute—dark humor about coercive fundraising tactics. **Overall theme:** Social satire targeting domestic tyranny, class condescension, and public fundraising absurdities of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
286 - LIFE: : “T can’t leave home a week without some fool thing bein’ done about my place, and that tobogganin’ slide beats ‘em all. ’Stead o° slidin’ down hill like people o’ sense, ye pile up straw agin my barn, reskin’ its burnin’ to the ground, tharby cancellin’ my insurance! Not “HER SMILE DISPELLED ALL GLOOM.” content with that, you encourage and abet my daughter in cuttin’ up all the blankets to the spar’ bed, so ’t an old friend I brought home with me caught a terrible enfiuenza. “ Then it 's the common talk of all the neighbors that you was seen a tobogganin’ round my barn-yard in your red flannels and stockin’ feet! You may call that a tobogganin’ suit, but I call it shameless impidence, and I forbid you ever to come to my house again !” And then the squire shook his cane at me, clapped on his hat, and strode out of the door before I could say a word, That wastwo weeks ago, and I had n't seen Lucretia since, until to-day. Last night Uncle Obadiah Lafayette came in and assured me that ‘Miss 'Crecy had n't gib up de cultcha society yit. Why I heahd ber askin’ dat lowdown Abe Jolly to quit his foolin’ and jine de society only las’ night !" he said, This was cold comfort, but this morning I met Lucretia and her father on their way to church and her smile, like the rising sun, dis- pelled all gloom. Yours, Algernon McGump. ut THE GOOD CAUSE, IFE’S fund for the Cesnola monument is getting on brave- ly. We have received no money yet, but several large offers have been tendered conditionally. One citizen, for in- stance, will contribute a thousand dollars if he may be allowed to pull the nose of the famous Italian before handing over the money. Another promises five hundred dollars, provided the monument bear the words ME AND MUNCHAUSEN, Charley Slugge says if we will get up a meeting between | himself and Luigi, Marquis of Queensbury rules, he will pay for the whole monument if he fails to knock him out in three | rounds. Such conditions make it much harder for us to raise the necessary funds. It is peculiarly annoying, as we have secured the land for the structure, and $g00,000,000,000 would be ample to cect a monument that would express the affection of the community for this eminent scientist. amo The following letter has been received as we go to press: Epitor oF Lire: 1 willingly tender my lot on the corner of Fifth avenue for anjonu- ment to Mr. Palmitoff di Cesnola, and am delighted that he is selected for the honor. We have had too many goody monuments, and it is high time that men of Luigi's stamp should be noticed. I+ $ con- sidered something of a liar in my youth, and my talents in th direc- tion have not lain idle; also, in spite of my seventy-two years, 1 am still considered a tolerably “live boy,” but when I realize what Luigi has done with that collection, my enthusiasm just runs a. ay with me. He deserves a monument, Very truly yours, Puineas O'D, & M There is no truth in the rumor that a certain benevolent so- ciety has offered Mr. Luigi Palmitoff di Cesnola three thou- sand dollars a year for the next ten years if he will leave the country and take his collection with him, eee are deceiving in this world, The nicest man you ever met was a bunco-steerer. comicbooks. com