Life, 1886-11-04 · page 3 of 16
Life — November 4, 1886 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 271 The top illustration, titled "The Day-Dream; or, A Hitch in the Programme," depicts a chaotic theatrical or musical performance scene with numerous figures in period dress. The accompanying poem contrasts "The Sleeping Beauty" with "The Awakening (The Revival)," suggesting satirical commentary on artistic or cultural performance. Below, the article "The Reason Why" humorously explains Boston's crowded train conditions: when Bostonians travel to New York, the train's interior shrinks proportionally to accommodate their supposedly larger frames. This is playful social satire mocking regional stereotypes. The remaining brief items mock contemporary figures and events—references to poets, Roosevelt, and the editor of *The Century* magazine—using witty one-liners typical of *Life*'s satirical style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE DAY-DREAM; OR, A HITCH IN THE PROGRAMME. ‘Written expressly for LIFE by Lord A-f-d T-nny-n and others. THE SLEEPING BEAUTY. She sleeps : her breathings are not heard In palace chambers far apart, The fragrant tresses are not stirred That lie upon her charmed heart. His spirit flutters like a lark, He stoops— to kiss her—on his knee. “Love, if thy tresses be so dark, How dark those hidden eyes must be!” THE REASON WHY. 6“ HE most striking thing about Boston, now that John L. Sullivan has left town,” writes a New York exile, “ is the crowded condition of all passenger trains leav- ing the city. This unpleasant state of things becomes less and less marked, however, as the distance from Boston increases, and the suburban population is gradually re-ab- sorbed.” The main fact of this statement is noted with singular accuracy, but its explanation evinces a wonderful lack of penetration on the part of the observer. The real reason for this over-crowding is as follows : When a Boston man leaves home he is brought down to the train in a safe-mover's wagon, and lifted on board with aderrick. He is a big man there, and fills a good deal of the car. But as his native town recedes he shrinks to his normal proportions, and by the time the train reaches New York, he has shrunk down to the size of a boy, with the result above noted. When he comes back he is able to travel on a half ticket, thus saving expense. This explains also why incoming trains become more and more closely packed as they near the Hub. F.E. Chase, THE AWAKENING (The Revival). A touch ! a kiss! the charm was snapt ; There rosea noise of striking clocks And feet that ran, and doors that clapt, And barking dogs, and crowing cocks ; And gathered fast a noisy throng Of courtier, peasant, lord and churl, But still the Sleeping Beauty slept ! She was a Philadelphia girl. HE poets are apostrophizing Bartholdi’s statue. O Liberty ! what rhymes are committed in thy name. THEIR SPECIAL USE. ““ ES, Bobby,” said the minister, who was dining with the family, “everything in this world has its use, although we may not know what it is. Now, there is the fly, for instance. You wouldn't think that flies were good for anything, yet ——” “Oh, yes, I would,” interrupted Bobby. flies are good for.” “What, Bobby?” “Pa says that they are the only thing what keeps him awake when you are preaching.” “1 know what HIS November is a cold season for Turkey all around. Mr. Cox has resigned his Ministry to the Sublime Porte. HE editor of The Century spoke last week in favor of Mr. Roosevelt. If he had read The Century's war papers he would have made a model republican speech, Sleeveless—a coat of arms. comicbooks.com