Life, 1886-07-15 · page 3 of 12
Life — July 15, 1886 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis: "Natural Pride" Cartoon This satirical cartoon depicts a beach scene where poor people sit under a makeshift shelter. The dialogue mocks "natural pride"—the notion that poor people maintain dignity by refusing charity. **The satire:** Mrs. Fry claims the Watkins family "must be awfully poor people" because they never beg. Mr. Fry asks why that matters. Mrs. Fry responds they're "poor because" they lack plenty—implying poverty results from refusing handouts rather than circumstance. **Social commentary:** The cartoon critiques wealthy Victorians who romanticized poor people's "dignity" while ignoring systemic poverty. It suggests the wealthy used "natural pride" as justification for withholding aid, blaming poverty on the poor's own refusal to ask rather than on economic inequality or lack of opportunity.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NATURAL PRIDE. Mrs. Pry: THOSE WATKINS's MUST BE AWFULLY POOR PEOPLE. Wuy? How so? THEY NEVER GIVE A BEGGAR ANYTHING—NEVER ! Mrs. Pry: No; BUT IT ISN'T BECAUSE I HAVEN'T PLENTY ! FABLES FOR THE TIMES. THE FOX AND THE STORK. STORK once invited a Fox to dinner and served the repast in a molasses jar, which completely ruled the guest off the track. The Fox could not even get a smell of the banquet ; but later in the evening he put the Stork to sleep by telling him an anecdote, then carried off the jug and sold it as a Chinese vase for $18,000. MorRAL: This Fable teaches that good manners are gener- ally a paying institution; and that the outside of a thing is sometimes the most valuable part. THE LONDON JACKASS. LONDON Jackass once visited America, and just be- fore landing in New York got his tail in a barrel of meal, which made him look very odd to the gaping natives. But he was a high-born and eye-glassed animal, and the New York Jackasses straightway smeared mucilage on the seats of their trousers, sprinkled them with meal, and walked around town looking like a lot of millers on a holiday. MorRAL: This Fable cautions us against undue precipita- tion in following the latest fashion. S it not fruitless to sound ocean currents with a plumb line? «¢ PLEASANT dreams and slumbers light,” He whispered low on the stairs last night ; “The same to you,” I saucily said, And smiled in his face and tossed my head, “The same to you,” is what I said. And was my dream pleasant? Ah me, so sweet, His eyes, to-day, I scarce dare meet ; For you know what I said, “The same to you,” And if both of us dreamed it, it ’s sure to come true, And I'm afraid that he’ll see that I want it too. Lily V. Okie. MUSICAL. EV. MR. BROWN (to old college chum): Well, Charlie, how did you enjoy the singing last Sunday ? Charlie Flash: You must n’t mind my saying so, old chap, but not a great deal, and it was like the village brook. Rev. Mr. B.: Village brook! How so? C. F.: Why, it was full of flats, dragged at the bars, and never amounted to a dam. (Rev. Mr. B. wonders why he ever thought Flash witty.) SAUSAGE—An invertebrate substance of unknown parent- age and etymology, sometimes illustrating the missing link, comicbooks.com