Life, 1887-08-11 · page 11 of 16
Life — August 11, 1887 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Satire Page Analysis This page from *Life* contains several humorous vignettes mocking contemporary social issues: **"Reducing the Surplus"** jokes about Mr. Jones's seven unmarried daughters as a "surplus" problem—he quips they should be advertised like Navy torpedo boats, satirizing both the burden of supporting unmarried women and government waste. **"The Revenge of Jacob"** references the Sharp trial (a real scandal involving corrupt NYC politician Jacob Sharp). The joke ridicules patent medicine testimonials by imagining Sharp writing from prison, crediting his conviction to a fake tonic called "Vita Antigua"—mocking both fraudulent medical advertising and Sharp's notoriety. **"The Cat That Prowls"** parodies romantic poetry by depicting nocturnal cat fights, with the frustrated narrator throwing wine bottles at them—absurdist humor contrasting high literary language with mundane urban annoyance. **Other sketches** mock Chicago tourists' ignorance, foreign aristocrats' pretentiousness, and police negligence—standard *Life* targets of gentle ridicule aimed at middle-class readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: “JAMES, | HEAR YOU'VE BEEN OFF LARKIN’ WITH THE GIRLS AGAIN INSTEAD OF GOING TO SUNDAY-SCHOOL.” “WELL, Dab, REMEMBEK YOU WAS YOUNG YOURSELF ONCE, AND YOU KNOW WHAT MASHIN’ MEANS!" REDUCING THE SURPLUS. “cc HAT’S a pretty good idea, mother,” said Mr. Jones, the father of seven quite aged daughters, to his wife. “What's that, John?" asked Mrs. J. “Why, the Secretary of the Navy advertises for proposals for building some torpedo boats. We might advertise for proposals for the girls!" THE REVENGE OF JACOB. WELL-KNOWN lady who is the presiding genius over a large patent medicine firm has secured testimonials for her latest nostrum from prominent persons connected with the recent Sharp trial. Mr. Sharp himself, is said to have written the following note: Mrs. H. H. ATMOSPHERE: Madam,—I\ attribute my conviction to constant use of your engaging tonic, Vita Antigua. Please send the bot- tles which stand to my credit on your books to Fullgraff and Judge Barrett. Yours truly, JACOB SHARP, RENCH children refer to their stepmothers as as encore. EDWARD EVERETT HALE is a literary “fellow well met.” THE CAT THAT PROWLS. CAT that by yon silent City Hall Prowlest at night when all the streets are still! That hangest wailing on some window-sill, Waiting for neighbors’ cats to caterwaul, Stirring the midnight air with strains not al- Together fanciful nor musical— And trebly sharp when the young moon doth lend Her chastened light and with the cat's cry blend. I hear thy mews—my muse doth answer back, And from my lofty chamber straight I wend ; And with my heart on fire, my head on rack, I fling—the bottle to its destined end. Chat-eau Margaux! Chat-eau Vquem ! La Fitte! Cat oh! be still! The bottle it has hit! “a H, I'm just crazy to get to the seashore!" said the Chicago maiden, who didn’t know an ocean from a hydrant, “It must be lovely sitting under the beach trees listening to the roar of the waves." DIDN'T CARE FOR THEM. M ISS ROSEBUD: Tell me, Count Spaghetti, do you IVE like our Blue Point oysters ? Count SPAGHETTI: Vell, Madamoiselle, zey vas not populaire vis me. I had von platefool of zem in Rome last summaire and I deed not like ze taste so mooch, HIS SOURCE OF INFORMATION. Early Citizen: HORRIBLE MURDER ACROSS THE STREET DUR- ING THE NIGHT, WASN'T 17? Police (who ts supposed to have been on duty all night): Don't KNOW ANYTHING AHOUT IT; I HAVEN'T SEEN THE MORNING PAPERS YET. comicbooks.com