Life, 1887-04-07 · page 5 of 20
Life — April 7, 1887 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 189 This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: **"Force of Habit"** (top cartoon): An overworked hotel clerk, exhausted from rigid daily routines (breakfast 7-10am, lunch 1pm, dinner 6-8pm), appears to be addressing patrons. The satire mocks the dehumanizing monotony of service industry work and institutional scheduling. **"In the Movement"** (left cartoon): Shows a tall man and small boy. The accompanying text references "Jimmy Oliver" and a "doughnut biters' perfective union," satirizing labor union organizing and strikes—likely commentary on early 20th-century labor disputes and their sometimes absurd or trivial nature. **"In the Restaurant"** (dialogue piece): A humorous exchange between "Brown" and "John" about Mr. Smith's absence, using mundane workplace gossip to mock office communication and pretense. The page represents *Life* magazine's characteristic blend of visual and textual satire targeting everyday American social dynamics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LINES SUGGESTED BY THE PRESENT CRAZE IN BREAST-PINS. ORA, you're a pretty miss, One that I would love to kiss, But I can’t. For, if I were to essay, You would check me with a “' nay, Or, “you shan’t.” One would know you for a flirt, Seeing you adjust your skirt With a tug ; While upon your shapely breast Crawls, in golden harness drest, A live bug. Though the ‘* buglet’s ” chain is short. He is free —too free—to court ; (Lucky knave !) For his stamping-ground’s your heart, Of all parts the very part That I crave. Your sweet smiles are not for me; So I'm jealous when I see (O, dull pain !) That obnoxious, captive bug, Rub his head against your jug — — U—lar vein. If his ‘* Bugness " knew my case He might offer me his place, And his mask. Since you'll not grant me your hand, Let me, chained thus, ever stand On your basque. IN THE MOVEMENT. | WIDOUT SUFFICIENT GROUNDS, Now, I'VE COME TER TELL YER FORCE OF HABIT. Over-worked Hotel Clerk: NO MAIL; BREAKFAST FROM SEVEN TO TEN; LUNCH AT ONE; DINNER, SIX TO EIGHT; BAR-ROOM, DOWN THE CORRIDOR ON THE RIGHT, PARTIALITY. BUT ory days we can afford, To cease from dinner, dance and revel; This time's but ‘‘lent” unto the Lord ; The rest we give unto the devil. G. E. Throop. IN THE RESTAURANT. ROWN: Aw, John, was Mr. Smith in heah yesterday ? JOHN: Yessir. Brown: Did he awsk awfter me? JOHN: Yessir. Brown: What did you tell him? JouNn: Told him you had gone for the day. Brown: Well, what did he say to that? Jiere JOHN: “Good enough” was ‘is werry words, sir. | I HAVE BEEN TOLD DAT YER HAVE BOUNCED JIMMY OLIVER | (oa | DAT I'M SECRETARY OF DE DOUGHNUT BITERS' PERTECTIVE UNION, AN’ DAT YER'VE NOT ONLY GOT TER TAKE JIMMY BACK AGIN, BUT DAT YER'VE GOT TER SUPPLY DE ASSOCIATION WID MILK AN’ HE Higginsville Courier says: * We are happy to say : positively to our many readers that there #s a Mr. James Brown Potter.” It is gratifying to feel sure that the CANDIES FER A WEEK, OR DERE’LL BE EVERY WINDER Ix pe | Study Of the microscope is so earnest and so successful in PLACE BROKE, AN’ DON'T CHER FERGIT IT! Higginsville. comicbooks.com