Life, 1887-03-31 · page 7 of 16
Life — March 31, 1887 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 177 This page contains satirical social commentary and humorous sketches rather than political cartoons. The main sections include: **"Decidedly Soothing"**: A dinner party scene where Handsome Charles tells a story about a miser and prince; the company reacts with varying enthusiasm. **"There Was a Bon Voyage About Him"**: Mrs. Shoddy defends Mr. Rocks as a gentleman, while Angeline critiques his lack of charm and constant presence. **"The Donkey and the Dude"**: A visual joke showing a confrontation between a donkey and a man in formal attire (a "dude"), illustrated through sequential sketches. **"Proverbs"**: Witty observations about luck, poverty, and life. The sketches use exaggerated physical humor typical of early-20th-century magazine illustration. The satire targets social pretension and domestic absurdities rather than specific political figures or events.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE: 177 DECIDEDLY SOOTHING. : . ANDSOME CHARLES (a Uittle forgetful. Dining out and wishing to make himself agreeable): won- der if the company has heard that story of the miser and the prince. THE COMPANY (most of whom have on sundry other ~ occasions been regaled by H. C. with the same tale): Oh, yes!—A very tolerable story.—/ have heard it—I think J have, etc. (And the hostess touches the bell to order the next course.) SWEET LITTLE EDITH (who secretly worships H. C. and sympathizes with him in this terrible moment): Oh, I have not heard it very Jately/ THERE WAS A BON VOYAGE ABOUT HIM. RS. SHODDY: Really, Angeline, I cannot see what you find objectionable in Mr. Rocks. He is very rich, and a perfect gentleman. He has an inimitable air of don soir. . ANGELINE: Oh, no, mamma, he has none of that about him. If he had I would like him better. He never leaves. UNINTENTIONAL. ONFUSED CLERK (¢% drug store, to Miss Brown, who prides herself on the manner in which she has retatned her youth): “Excuse me Mum, but was it you that wanted this bottle of soothing syrup?” HE question has long remained in dispute, and so still remains. Which is the luckier man—the man with dol- lars or the man with sense? PROVERBS. OR A COQUETTE.—Flames too soon acquire strength if disregarded. For AN OLD BEAU.—A bow long bent waxeth weak For A GLAZIER.—No gains without panes. For A MAN WITH GRAY Hair.—Never say die. FoR A CRIBBAGE BOARD.—Two can play at tha For aN UMBRELLA.—Lay by for a rainy FoR A MODERN NOoVEL.—Bad beginning, ending For A STATUE OF LIBERTY.—By the hands of many a great work is made light. re AVS. THE DONKEY AND THE DUDE, 4 Rohe comicbooks.com