Life, 1887-09-08 · page 1 of 16
Life — September 8, 1887 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Who Help Themselves" — Life Magazine, September 8, 1887 This page features a single illustration with accompanying dialogue. The image shows two figures in what appears to be a domestic interior—a woman in light clothing and a man in dark formal dress in a curtained alcove or doorway. The caption quotes dialogue between "Aunt Kate" and "Jesse," discussing curled hair. Aunt Kate says if it were "the Lord's wish," she would have curled Jesse's hair; Jesse responds that he's old enough now to do it himself. The satire appears to critique self-improvement or "self-help" attitudes—the title "Who Help Themselves" suggests ironic commentary on contemporary self-reliance philosophies. The specific reference and historical context remain unclear without additional information about the individuals or events referenced.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“VOLUME X. NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 8, 1887. NUMBER 245. Entered at New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1887, by Mrrorett & Mnise. anetca Ns Svm. # WHO HELP THEMSELVES.” Aunt Kate; MY DEAR, DON'T YOU THINK IF IT HAD BEEN THE LokD's WISH THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE CURLING HAIR, HE WOULD HAVE CURLED IT FOR You? Jessie: AND SO He DID, AUNT KATE, WHEN I WAS A BABY. HE PRORABLY THINKS 1 AM OLD ENOUGH NOW TO DO IT FOR MYSELF. comicbooks.com