Life, 1887-02-10 · page 7 of 16
Life — February 10, 1887 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation of Page 77, Life Magazine **"À Paris" cartoon (top right):** A Chicago businessman complains to a Parisian waiter that he's hungry ("Je suis faim"). The waiter responds dismissively about Madame's reputation. This satirizes American tourists abroad—specifically wealthy Chicagoans—as culturally ignorant and socially awkward in European settings. **"The American Aristocracy" article:** Mocks wealthy Americans' obsession with titles and social distinction. The excerpt describes how rich Americans feel inferior without aristocratic titles, even though American fortunes are "only local." It references Philadelphia's "Biddles" family and pokes fun at their pretensions. **"Mashed" (left side):** Illustrates the broader theme—American social climbing and class anxiety. The overall message: American wealth cannot buy genuine European sophistication or respectability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A PARIS. Gentleman from Chicago: Vite GARGON | JE SUIS FAIM. Gargon: AH! QUE MADAM: .THE AMERICAN ARISTOCRACY. HAT entertaining writer, Mr. Henry Hayes, has given us a charming story in Sons and Daughters. The following extract, while it carries | consternation into the hearts of our Quaker City brethrea, seem to be highly appreciated by New York and Boston: ‘Rich Americans feel that they lack distinction unless they can get a title. Even our best names here are only local; they don’t pass current yut of their native city. Look at the Biddles, even. Now, of course, a Philadelphian would sooner be a Biddle than to’be aking ; but yet only last winter Lord George Hurst was over here—a serious fellow, don’t | you know, with a note-book, and a desire to go to the root of the matter—and he button- holed me one night, and said : ‘ There is just one thing more I want to ask about. Will you please tell me what is a biddle? I hear it said, ‘‘ He is a biddle,” or ‘She was a biddle,” and it is quite incomprehensible to me what a biddle is.'” ‘ Laugh on, ye sons and daughiers of Gotham and the Hub. By and by some man will tell this story wich embellishments, in which a livingston and a saltonstall will play an impor:ant part, and then Philadelphia will laugh as loudly as Chicago weeps wher. she sees Pork spelt with a little p. BROWNING NOTE. EOPLE who have projessed surprise at the number of Browning clubs in Boston, are satisfied, after reading the lines — “ Bah! Tra-la-la ! Ha, ha, ha!” in the poet's last work, that Browning ought to be clubbed. MASHED. A HARDER thing to keep than a secret — Money. comicbooks.com