Life, 1886-09-02 · page 3 of 16
Life — September 2, 1886 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Birthday" Page Analysis This page from *Life* magazine features satirical content and humor pieces typical of the publication's style. The main illustration shows a Victorian-era domestic scene with a woman and man examining what appears to be a gingham gown. The accompanying poem references fashion and a woman's "pretty hands" and "gingham gown," suggesting this is social satire about fashion pretensions. Below are several brief humorous anecdotes labeled "Washington Dots," mocking political figures and events. These include jokes about a congressman collecting a bill, a cyclorama manager, and Secretary Bayard's drinking arrangements. The "Fables for the Times" section offers moral tales, including "The Fox and His Friends," satirizing social climbing and false friendship. The page reflects *Life*'s focus on satirizing American politics, fashion, and social behavior of the period, though specific political figures aren't clearly identified in this particular section.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ER pretty hands were slim and brown, And tenderly she fingered The frills upon the gingham gown On which my glances lingered. ‘*A simple frock ?” she cried, with mirth That Fashion grants her scholars— “You stupid Jack, ’t was made by Worth, WASHINGTON DOTS. TELEGRAM has been received from the Adirondacks, stating that the President caught a box of sardines while fishing in a creek a few days ago. * * * a editor of the Congressional Record, while trying to collect a bill from a delinquent subscriber, received a lot of birdshot in his body near the small of his back. He is collecting the shot with a knitting-needle. * * * [ee manager of the cyclorama representing the battle of Manassas, offers to give a free ticket to the man who made the best time in getting from the battle-field to Wash- ington. * * * ECRETARY BAYARD says that Cutting’s release was so arranged that he should have full time to get drunk at the grand celebration in 1892. The Mexicans have discov- ered a passage in Robinson Crusoe which, they claim, fully justifies their action in detaining Cutting. And cost me ninety dollars !”” M.E. W. FABLES FOR THE TIMES. THE FOX AND HIS FRIENDS. FOX one day invited an Ass to dine with him and see his pet Monkey; and on the same morning he invited a Monkgy to dinner to see his pet Ass. As the two guests | sat opposite each other at table, each silently resolved that the Fox was a most wonderful naturalist and animal-tamer ; and when they returned to their homes, they sounded his praises | far and wide, through field and forest. MorAL: This Fable teaches how the man who is fertile in | expedients may rise superior to the limitations of hard fortune ; and teaches, likewise, that a circus agent should make the best possible bargain with the country papers. EXPECTING A GOOD DEAL. USTOMER: Waiter, here is a button in the soup. WaITER: Button, sah, yes sah, I guess dat’s aliright, sah. CusToMER: It’s all right, of course, but I thought perhaps a button-hole went with it. T is rumored that Senator Logan left the bloody shirt with a Chinese laundryman to be washed, but the report is not credited. comicbooks.com