Life, 1886-08-12 · page 14 of 16
Life — August 12, 1886 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising page** from Life magazine, with one small cartoon embedded among the ads. ## The Cartoon The only cartoon appears in the middle-lower section, captioned by George Mather's Sons. It shows an elderly woman whose market basket collides with a pedestrian. She exclaims in German dialect: "MEN GOTT IN HIMMEL! IS THAT THOU?" The pedestrian replies: "No, MADAME, IT'S ONLY A MAN." **The joke**: The woman mistakes the pedestrian for something else entirely—the humor likely plays on either physical appearance or perhaps a pun lost to modern readers. The German dialect suggests the woman is a recent immigrant, a common comedic trope of the era. ## Advertisements The page features fashion (Redfern gowns for Newport yachting and Saratoga Springs), wines and liquors (H.B. Kirk & Co.), shoe blacking (Wood's), perfumes (Lundborg's), and printing services. These ads target wealthy, fashionable audiences and emphasize luxury and social status—consistent with Life's audience of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEWPORT, R. L., BELLEVUE AVE. SS YACHTING Be By special appointment to H. M. the Queen of England AND HI, M. the Empress of Russia. % SARATOGA SPRING! REDFERN COTTAGE, BROADWAY. aes WALKING rsGayor Y the Prine GOWNS as made for H.R. H.| 2109 FIFTH AVENUE the Princess of Wales in the celebrated Isle of Wight Serge, specially manufactured and dyed to withstand rough weather and salt water without injury. NEW YORK (NEXT DELMONICO'’S.) ALKING AND TENNIS GOWNS extra light weight cloths directly import to meet the requirements of the Sumna Season. H.B. KIRK & CO. 1158 Broadway, cor. 27th St. 69 Fulton Street, 9 Warren Street. Recognized as one of the Leading and Most Reliable WINE HOUSES IN AMERICA. ESTABLISHED 1853. A large variety of Grocer’s Condiments. Otpesr and Cuorcest WINES AND LIQUORS, Some of which we have owned ourselves THIRTY YEARS, AT MODERATE PRICES. Honest Madeira, $3.50 per gallon: good value. Sour Mash Whiskies, five Summers old, $4 per gallon, No other house can furnish Old Crow RYF. The WoOoD's ALL ADIE & Ph hers Esa te A LAA BLACKING PRESERVES AND SOFTENS THE LEATHER, FOR 1T CONTAINS NO SHELLAC OR ACID. HIGHEST AWARD, GOLD MEDAL, AT THE NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION. Bottle contains double quantity, Use no other GEO. H. WOOD & CO., Manufacturers, Boston. Old Lady (as her market basket comes in contact with pedestrian): MeN Gott IN HIMMEL! 1s THAT. THOU ? ‘ Pedestrian: No, MADAME, IT'S ONLY A MAW. GEO. MATHER’S SONS RINTING INK - 60 JOHN STREET, N. Y. THIS PAPER IS PRINTED WITH OUR SPECIAL. LIFE - INK. “No, I must have LUNDBORG'S. | have never been disappointed in any of those perfumes. LUNDBORQ’S PERFUMES, Edenia, Alpine Violet, Marechal Niel Rose, Lily of the Valley, LUNDBORQ’S RHENISH COLOGNE. ComMoNn SENSE BINDER FOR BINDING ‘LIFE: Cheap, Strong and Durable, Will hold 26 numbers, Mailed to any part of the United States for $1. Address office of * LIFE,” 1155 Broapway, N. Ye comicbooks.com