Life, 1887-01-27 · page 5 of 16
Life — January 27, 1887 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, Page 47 - January Satire This satirical page mocks January political events, likely from the early 1900s. The central text discusses Jack Frost's arrival and rheumatism affecting an unnamed executive—probably referring to the President's political "left leg" (suffering Progressive opposition) versus his "right" (ejecting partisan critics). The elaborate border illustrations satirize international political figures and conflicts. References to "Boulanger and Bismarck" and disputes between "Russia, Bulgaria and other great powers" suggest European diplomatic tensions. The text mockingly suggests these leaders waste intellectual effort on trivial disagreements while claiming to advance civilization. The ornate, decorative treatment typical of Life's style frames what appears to be commentary on both American executive dysfunction and global great-power posturing as absurd theater.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
tv ‘ DURING this opening month of the year Jack x Frost has smiled benignly upon us and en- abled us to enjoy the bracing atmosphere despite the twinge of rheumatism which the Executive limb seems heir to. Fortunately for the people it = is the left leg which suffers and the right con- tinues to eject offensive partisans from office with all the energy of the wild mob’s million feet. The gentleman who owns the copyright of the un- tamed rabble’s centi-pedalities, has twanged his lyre toa most lugubrious tune, in which Progress is reduced to the level of a crime, and Poetry becomes a capital offense. Yet to this discordant shriek of the Laureate, the one man who has had the hardest knocks from the Progressive element of the United { Kingdom, returns blow for blow with a force that shows that the brawn and muscle which has felled many an oak, is still on hand to thwack in old-time style the wormwood which throws the Poet’s heart into the shade. Germany, France, Russia, Bulgaria and the other great powers of Europe have spent the month in ineffectual efforts to have somebody remove the chip of discord from somebody else's . shoulder. Boulanger and Bismarck, the busiest B's of Europe, are endeavoring to lay up treas- ures on earth which will materially aid in the S population of heaven—and elsewhere. Taken as a whole, January is safe to slide down the Toboggan chute of time into the plain of history as the most successful month of the New Year up to date. comicbooks.com