Life, 1887-02-03 · page 3 of 18
Life — February 3, 1887 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Life Magazine, Page 59 **Top Illustration ("Bismarck qui Cito Dat"):** A bee wearing a Prussian military helmet (spiked Pickelhaube) is depicted scheming against Europe. The poem satirizes Otto von Bismarck, the German chancellor, comparing his aggressive diplomacy to a buzzing bee that "plots against his Europese" neighbors. This appears to reference Bismarck's aggressive foreign policy and militarism during the late 19th century. **"Righteous Indignation" & "The Sin of It":** Brief satirical anecdotes mocking social hypocrisy—one about an unpaid debt, another about a clergyman defending dancing as acceptable behavior. **"Idiomatic" cartoon:** A domestic scene where a woman (Julia) asks about heating a stove; her short husband (Harry) quips he wonders how much he could "get on it"—a crude innuendo joke about his diminutive stature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BISMARCK QUI CITO DAT. OW doth the little Bizzy B Improve his waxing power, And plot against his Europee— An neighbors every hour. He buzzes here and buzzes there, Each fizzy feud to fan; When they fall out, then he falls in, And scoops what'er he can. RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION. «¢ J SAY, Dumley,” remarked Robinson, with some indig- nation, “I hear you have reported about that I owe you money.” “You have owed me twenty dollars for several years.” “That may be, but I don’t owe you anything now. That twenty dollar debt became outlawed the first of the year. - You ought not to spread damaging reports about a man,” concluded the still indignant Robinson. N Episcopal clergyman was asked recently if he though dancing a sin. “ Yes,” responded the worthy rector— “Yes, a great sin—zf you don't dance well!” T has been asserted that Poe wrote his blood-curdling story of “The Black Cat” while under the influence of delirium tremens. This may or may not be, but we have always believed that when he wrote his famous crow poem, he was a raven maniac. SCRAPS. HE only safeguard we can provide against the police is a law requiring the officer to shoot at an innocent pe- destrian when a thief at- tempts to escape. Under such circum- stances the thief would have but one chance in a hundred of not being hurt. * * * AEE. profane the- atrical note states that Miss Eastlake plays Helle in Wilson Barrett's “ Clito.”” Sheol do well to revise her part before she tries it on the New England provincial towns. * * * ENATORS in France receive a salary of $1,750. It is a losing in- vestment for the states- men in this country. IDIOMATIC, Julia: HAVEN'T YOU PUT UP THE STOVE YET? Harry (who is very short): Jove! 1 WONDER HOW MUCH I COULD GET ON IT. comicbooks.com