Life, 1887-11-10 · page 11 of 16
Life — November 10, 1887 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 265 Analysis This page contains several satirical pieces typical of late-19th-century American humor: **"Both Sides"** is a poem mocking religious hypocrisy. A minister thanks God for burning down a liquor store as divine judgment, but when lightning strikes *his* church, the liquor dealers thank God equally. The satire: both groups interpret misfortune selectively to confirm their moral worldview. **"The Student and the Editor"** satirizes naive book-learning versus real-world journalism. A college graduate claims historical knowledge would help editorial work, but an editor demonstrates that newspaper accounts of the same event contradict each other—showing that "history" is merely opinion, not fact. The joke critiques both academia's disconnect from practical truth and journalism's unreliability. **"Excessive Zeal"** jokes about frontier Christianity: a Dakota minister's newly converted parishioner threatens violence if he doesn't preach louder, suggesting religious fervor without actual piety. The page also contains brief gossip items about Oscar Wilde and political figures, typical of Life's format mixing cartoons, jokes, and social commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BOTH SIDES. HE liquor store on the corner burned, And the minister prayed next day, Telling the Lord he was just and good, In wiping the pest away. But lightning struck the minister's church And burnt it to the ground ; And the liquor people thanked the Lord That He passed such things around. -LIFE- 265 INTERESTING ITEMS. RS. OSCAR WILDE is said to have made a dust- brush of her husband's shorn locks. Mr. Blaine, immediately after his defeat in 1884, sent his Presidential Bee to a taxidermist, who stuffed it and put it in shape for 1888. The explorer Stanley is expected shortly to attain the object of his expedition. It is interesting to observe that Stanley has died less often than any other African explorer. Donald R, McGregor. ee HARLES A, DANANIAS, is the way Pulitzer speaks J ET us see, what was Whitelaw Reid’s war record ? of him in private life. —~ Tribune, please notice. THE STUDENT AND THE EDITOR. A YOUNG DONKEY who had just graduated from college applied to an able Editor for a position on his journal. “I have made a special study of history,” said the applicant, “ which I am sure would be of value to me in editorial work.” “Ah!” said the Editor, * just look at this murder case.” And he handed the would-be journalist half-a-dozen New York morning papers. “ But no two of these are alike,” said the youngster in a perplexed tone. ‘I couldn’t write anything on such evidence as that.” “How then could you write on a political or social question from your book-knowledge?" rejoined the Editor; “what you take for history is only So-and-so’s opinion about history. The more you read the deeper your confusion.” Truth dwells at the bottom of a well, ALMOST A LIKENESS, INE feathers may not make fine birds, but they make pretty hats. EXCESSIVE ZEAL. “ D° you find your evangelical labors pleasant?" was asked of a Dakota minister. “Not altogether so, at times,” was the reply. ‘For instance: last Sunday a newly converted member of the church, who sits near the door, threatened to fill me full of holes if I didn’t speak louder.” comicbooks.com