Life, 1887-05-19 · page 5 of 16
Life — May 19, 1887 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Satire from Life Magazine This page contains two distinct pieces of social commentary: **"He Likes It"** is a poem about coveting a neighbor's wife while maintaining that such feelings cause no harm—a satirical critique of moral rationalization and hypocrisy. **"Oxenford; or, The Triumph of Innocence"** is a satirical story about a morally sheltered young man sent from the countryside to New York City. The narrative ironically demonstrates how his "innocence" leads to corruption: he becomes involved in gambling debts and breach-of-promise scandals. The moral—"a tree is known by its fruit it bears"—suggests that removing someone from moral guidance doesn't preserve virtue; instead, city corruption exploits their naivety. The accompanying illustrations depict the young man's misadventures in urban settings, emphasizing the satirical contrast between his rural upbringing and urban moral pitfalls.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LET THE IDIOT CHASE HIS OWN HAT; IF HE HASN'T WIT ENOUGH TO KERP IT ON HIS HEAD, HE HAD BETTER— OXENFORD; OR, THE TRIUMPH OF INNOCENCE. NCE upon a time there was an Ox who owned a large estate in the country. But his dearest possession was a son whom he had brought up in the strictest principles of morality, and free from all the contaminations of city life. When: this son became of age he was a very great Calf indeed. “My boy,” said the father one day, “I must send you to New York to do a little business for me. Here is a letter of introduction to my friend, Dr. Bull.” The young one set out. We must draw a veil over the transactions of the next few days. The experiences of a good and green young man, on first coming to the city, cannot be exposed to the public eye. We will content ourselves by inserting the moral: A tree is known by the fruit it bears. * * * * * * * * In two months there was a breach of promise case brought by a burlesque actress, the old man was constantly receiving drafts for gambling debts, and finally the Innocent was packed off to Europe, to obtain a chance for reflection. There is such a thing as too much goodness. A little wickedness is the salt that keeps us from spoiling through freshness. HE LIKES IT. LOVE my neighbor's gracious wife ; I make no scruple of it: No scripture says : Thou shalt not love! It reads : Thou shalt not covet ! I do not covet, no, nor get, A single thing he misses ; I simply love her, and to that My right’s as good as his is. My neighbor's not the man to let My feelings disconcert him : He knows I love his wife, and that My state of mind can’t hurt him. She sets no special store by me, But doats upon my neighbor. I think he rather likes to see My pains reward my labor. HE Mayor of New York and his Superintendent of Police are making a determined effort to shut off Gotham’s Sunday grog. It is a righteous attempt, for what are statutes for if not to be enforced? But Summer is upon us and presently there will come a piping hot Sunday and then if the law is still working we shall look for a delegation to Albany and a suspension of the rules. OULANGER is a better name for a man of peace than for a minister of war. A. Butcher would be a more efficacious warrior than a \ baker. MADEMOISELLE C TINE, OF CALAIS, Is A BRILLIANT YOUNG GIRL DE BAL WHEN A PERSON NAMED Moses, NTED SOME ROSE BBED HIM, AND SAID, ‘'O ALLEZ!” comicbooks.com