Life, 1886-11-25 · page 5 of 16
Life — November 25, 1886 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 321 This page contains several brief satirical items rather than a single cartoon: **"A Geographical Error"** mocks a Chicago teacher's correction, creating absurdist humor through circular logic about Lake Michigan's location relative to Chicago. **"Close upon the announcement..."** jokes about Oscar Wilde letting his hair grow long after hearing Joaquin Miller cut his hirsute ornament. **"The Why We Love Our Characters"** section presents humorous anecdotes about fictional characters (Tom Tallboys, Mrs. Mudsop), suggesting readers' attachment to serialized characters. The main illustration shows two boys and a dog on a street, with dialogue about keeping secrets regarding "Sister Emily" and "Mr. White"—a gentle domestic scene with juvenile humor. **"A Literary Movement"** (lower left) uses a cow illustration for wordplay: "From the Hoe to the Pen." The page represents *Life*'s typical mix of light social satire and domestic humor aimed at genteel readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A GEOGRAPHICAL ERROR. HICAGO TEACHER (fo Grammar class) : Correct the sentence “Chi- cago lays at the side of Lake Michigan.” GRAMMAR C ass: “Lake Michigan lays at the side of Chicago.” LOSE upon the announcement that Oscar Wilde had determined to let his hair grow long comes the news that Joaquin Miller has cut his hirsute orna- ment off. Thus the earth’s equilibrium is still preserved. OSTON ladies now wear shoes with imitation diamonds for buttons. They cost $100 a pair, but the ladies don’t mind that, because the glare of the diamonds hides part of the foot. EWELLERS now throw in a suit of clothes when they sell a nickle watch. THE WHY WE LOVE OUR CHARACTERS. OM TALLBOYS (to Mrs. Mudsof): I’ve just come from the Flitters- Hackensack wedding. Had agrand time, Old Mr. Flitters was in such a state of ex- citement that we had to hold him down to prevent his making a speech. Mrs. Mupsop (¢0 an intimate friend an hour later): Have you heard, my dear, about the Flitters-Hackensack wed- ding? They say old Mr. Flitters was in such a state that he had to be held up while he was making a speech. Johnnie: | WILL TELL YOU A SECRET IF YOU WON’T TELL. SISTER EMILY 1S ENGAGED TO MR. WHITE. I HEARD MAMA AND SIS TALKING ABOUT IT. THE SECRET IS THAT HE DOES N’T KNOW IT HIMSELF YET. GLOWING HEAT. RAMP: Will you please gimme ten cents to buy some fuel with? CHARITABLE STRANGER(g7v- ing him a dime): What kind of fuel can you buy for ten cents — coal? TRAMP: No; whisky. There is not much warmth in ten cents worth 0’ coal. CHICAGO MINISTER preached last Sunday on “What can I do to be saved?” This is very plaintive and pa- thetic, but we are not able to A LITERARY MOVEMENT. suggest anything. Probably a FROM THE HOE TO THE PEN. hopeless case. comicbooks.com