Life, 1886-10-21 · page 11 of 16
Life — October 21, 1886 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Satire Analysis This page from *Life* magazine contains several short satirical pieces mocking American society and manners: **"Result of a Mathematical Education"** jokes about a bachelor satisfied with his living quarters but wanting "a better half" (a wife)—a pun on mathematical fractions. **"Mrs. Newlyrich's Library"** mocks newly wealthy people's pretension: a social climber is embarrassed that visitors might discover she owns *Bunyan's Progress* (likely *Pilgrim's Progress*), implying she purchased books for appearance rather than genuine literacy. **"Unappreciative"** satirizes modern fashion's impracticality—an elderly woman scandalized that expensive dresses provide so little fabric they fail to adequately cover undergarments. **"How to Make It Pleasant for an Evening Party"** offers tongue-in-cheek advice on hosting: entertain guests elaborately to avoid awkward conversation, snoop by leaving correspondence visible, bore ladies with décor-gazing, segregate genders, and ensure refreshments end early—essentially instructions for thoroughly bad hospitality disguised as etiquette. The cartoon depicts a woman ascending ornate stairs—likely illustrating social climbing, a frequent *Life* target.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
RESULT OF A MATHEMAT- ICAL EDUCATION. CENE: Young man and friend in a comfortable room. | SYMPATHETIC VISITOR: Good quarters, these, old fellow; you ought to be satisfied with them. REPENTANT BACHELOR: Yes, I’m satisfied now with my quarters. They are good enough. What I want is'a better half. | CENE in library : VISITOR (exploring bookcase): Have you read your “Bunyan’s Progress?” Mrs. NEWLYRICH: Land sake! have they got my feet into the | Papers? Mrs. Newlyrich’s THE FALL NUT CROP. T is hoped that the excavating | operations at the base of the Sphinx will reveal additional hiero- glyphics.— Foreign Item. Fifty-seven circus clowns have already arrived at the scene of ope- rations. Much enthusiasm prevails. HY don’t the newspaper 2 men of the country step to the front?” asks one exchange. Well, if you really must know, it is because the bald-headed men have monopolized the front seats. “cr Abate € fence UNAPPRECIATIVE. Scandalized Old Lady: WELL, I NEVER! FASHIONABLE DRESSES ARE SO EXPENSIVE NOW- ADAYS THEY DON'T BUY ENOUGH TO COVER THEIR UNDERCLOTHING ! HOW TO MAKE IT PLEASANT FOR AN EVEN- | ING PARTY. | HEN the guests arrive leave the room. It is some- what embarrassing to talk about the ill-breeding and | priggishness of the host while the host is present. | Introduce a Japanese juggler. a puppet show and some | trick dogs. Society people are fond of novelty and like tobe | amused. Leave the escritoire open, containing your private corre- spondence, but lock the piano and hide the key. | Provide comfortable lounges and cosy chairs, so the ladies | can quietly doze or admire the frescoes on the ceiling, after | puckering their tongues with the latest bit of scandal. Serve refreshments early. Immediately afterward let the gentlemen adjourn to the smoking-room and stay there until it is time to go home. “Prize mottoes” are an interesting novelty. Each fifth one should contain a double-eagle or a twenty-dollar bill. Send the guests home in a private livery, after presenting the ladies with a piece of old china and the gentlemen each with a box of cigars and a scarf-pin. HVS. UNANIMOUS. ADLY the poet sighed. He shook his head Over his oft-rejected ode, and said — ‘Poor verses!" Wasit not strange that he should coincide With scornful editors? They, too, had cried — “* Poor verses !”” AN ADVANTAGEOUS TRANSACTION. HARPLEY: Old fellow, you’ve been taken in. Do you know why Skinner borrowed all that money of you? GREEN: No. SHARPLEY : Because he was so hard up that he had to borrow in order to pay creditors who've waited for years. GREEN: Oh, that’s all right, then. I’m the largest of ‘em. comicbooks.com