Life, 1887-02-24 · page 7 of 16
Life — February 24, 1887 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 107 Analysis The main cartoon titled "TWO A.M." depicts a domestic scene where a husband returns home late, and his wife confronts him about breaking a promise to attend a "Bishop's Psycho-Hypnotic Lecture." The husband claims he was "mesmerized," offering a humorous excuse. The joke satirizes the contemporary fascination with mesmerism/hypnotism as a pseudo-scientific fad, while also mocking marital excuses and late-night behavior. The wife's skepticism suggests audiences recognized such claims as dubious. Below are brief satirical "scraps"—short quips mocking topics including English language decline, a senator's poor behavior, and military complaints about American beef quality. These reflect early 1900s social commentary on politics, language evolution, and military-civilian relations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PLEASANT NEWS. EFERRING to a matter of no special interest to the reader, a lady informed her husband that she had “changed her mind.” “ Well, I am glad of it,” he replied, and his manner displayed great satisfaction. ‘“ Whom did you swap with?” SCRAPS. HE English lan- guage should be called a dead language. It has been murdered often enough. * * * * IDDLEBERGER is said to be con- templating resigning from the Senate, be- cause his poverty sub- jects him to insult. We commend the Senator in this. He is the poorest Statesman we ever Saw. * * * N English soldier complained bit- terly because he found a well-seasoned brier- root pipe in a can of American beef issued to him at Aldershot. He expected a meer- schaum. TWO A.M. Fond Wife: Wuy, Joun! You sap You WERE GOING To BIsHOP’s PsYCHO-HYPNOTIC LECTURE. John: WELL, SHO A DID. GOT MESHMERIZHED. WILL LIKELY BE DECLINED. HARLIE (fo his pretty cousin) : Here is a little story, Clara, that I have written for Badyland, and I wish you would tell me what you think of it. PRETTY COUSIN (after reading the story): Where do . you intend to send it? CHARLIE: To the editor of Babyland, PRETTY COUSIN (dubiously): Well, I’m afraid, Charlie, that he will find it too young for his publication. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM. 6¢ 7] AM alarmed for the future of this country, Johnson.” | “Why so, Briggs?” | “Because of the rapid increase in population. Soon the | land will not support all the people.” | “Nonsense! The medical colleges are now turning out | four thousand physicians yearly.” | Ir is said that Germany means. Bizzyness. comicbooks.com