Life, 1887-06-30 · page 6 of 21
Life — June 30, 1887 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 362 This page contains miscellaneous satirical commentary rather than a unified cartoon. The main illustrated piece shows an Uncle Sam figure in a ship's cabin speaking with two visitors, captioned with dialogue about "what is it you want?" The text items are brief social observations typical of Life's format: - A poem celebrating American Fourth of July patriotism - A note about University of Pennsylvania investigating spiritualism mediums - Cambridge oarsmen complaining about England's cold weather - Brief items about "weak coffee," a ship chandler, and author Carl Schurz - Commentary on Queen Victoria's Jubilee celebration - A slang notation ("pigeon-English") - A humorous exchange about the Fandango Springs Hotel The page satirizes contemporary American life, British society, and institutional pretensions through short jokes rather than developed political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE GLORIOUS- FOURTH! ING high, ring low, And big guns blow! Our patriot anthems—tune ’em With each brass band Throughout the land ; And shout ‘‘ E Pluribus Unum!” Each year, you see, Qur Jubilee— Not being merely regal— With bombs and drums In triumph comes, And loudly screams the Eagle. The little boy Declares our joy In manner most emphatic ; And eloquence Grows too intense For throats enthusiasthmatic. * * * ACIUTANT GENERAL DRUM would seem to have drummed himself out. He tried to flag the concilia- tion train, but it ran over him. * * * HE Ancient Order of United Statesmen will not parade this year. * * * ;E would be a_ graceful attention on the part of our English. cousins if, in return for the Potteresque celebration of the Queen's birthday in New York, they were to honor our Indepen- dence birthday in London. But we fear the Island isn’t large enough to hold a Fourth of July. * * * "THE genuine Fourth of Julyer, who paradoxi- cally utters great truths once ayear, must be looked for on this side of the water. Let the spouter spout, and the rocket rock the cradle of Lib- erty if it can, while all honest patriots gratefully perspire a tribute to the most indepen- dent climate in the world. Uncle Sam (to discontented boys): WELL, WHAT 1S 1T YOU WaNT ? Henry George and Ir, McGlynn (in chorus): THE Eartu! | “JT HE University of Pennsylvania's commission to investi- gate modern spiritualism reports that it is hard to get mediums to appear before it. The mediums generally say that they invite investigation ; but when investigation invites them they have a previous engagement. * * * . HE oarsmen of Cambridge, England, object” to rowing against a University eight in this country, because they have heard that the thermometer at New London is in the habit of going up to 110 degrees, and that is fabout one hundred and nine degrees more than a college athlete wants or can get. * * * ADVICE TO SLOOP-BUILDERS. NES count your racers before they are yatched. * * * “cc EAK ” coffee, contrary to the general rule, caused a good many merchants to pass sleepless nights lately. * * * HIP CHANDLER is on deck once more and will resume business in Washington, but fortunately not at the old Navy Department stand. * * * T is to be hoped that the Hon. Carl Schurz, who fell down on the ice last winter, has not slipped up on Clay, about whom he has just written a book. * * = HE Queen’s Jubilee spirit is so infectious that even the dynamiters wanted to fire a salute for and at Victoria. They made the mistake of supposing that anything in the way of annoys would be appropriate to a celebration. * * * IGEON-ENGLISH— The slang of the gun- clubs. * * ONES (to Williams): So you are trying the Fan- dango Springs Hotel this summer ? WILLIAMS: No; Itis try- ing me—severely. comicbooks.com