Life, 1888-01-05 · page 5 of 16
Life — January 5, 1888 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 5 This page satirizes wealthy American millionaires traveling on the *Umbria* steamship between Dover and Calais. The dialogue mocks American nouveau riche attitudes: an American boasts of making $250,000 from a silver mine with seven partners, while a French companion expresses amazement at American wealth-accumulation. The cartoon below depicts "Smearly" (an artist character) attempting to inject "deep religious feeling" into his work while aboard ship. The two sketches show him positioning a nun figure into his canvas composition, suggesting satire of artificial sentimentality in art—adding religious elements for emotional effect rather than genuine conviction. The overall tone ridicules both crass American materialism and the pretentiousness of artists seeking emotional authenticity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE- 5 OVERHEARD ON THE CALAIS PACKET. 6c ONSIEUR is English, perhaps?” This remark was made by a dapper little French- man to a fellow passenger on one of the boats plying be- tween Dover and Calais, the latter having opened the con- versation by an observation on the weather. “Not much,” was the reply, “I’m American.” “Monsieur must pardon me. Ah, America is ze great country! Monsieur is a Senator, doubtless?” “Not yet. I'm thinking of buying a seat in-the Senate, though, soon. At present I’m in the millionaire trade.” The Frenchman's eyes opened wide, as he replied : « Ah, America has so many millionaires!” “You are just right. There are perfect mobs of us ” This remark Johnny Crapeau hardly understood, he not having learned the word “mobs.” He elevated his eyebrows and the “ millionaire” continued : “T made a clean two million dollars this year in a silvér mine. There were seven of us in the company. We hada man in the far West, in the extreme western end of Staten Island, prospecting. Well, he uncovered the biggest hoard of pay dirt ever seen. ‘Why, actually, the silver lay nineteen feet thick, and the vein extended two miles! Of course, we couldn’t help becoming wealthy.” “ Merveilleux !” “Just so, only more so. The yield of that mine is some- freight cars loaded with the metal into New York every day. The people gather in thousands to see it arrive.” “ Magnifique!” “ Speaking of millionaires,” went on the valuable specimen, “there were thirty-two of them on board the Umérza on her last trip—no, there were thirty-three—I had forgotten myself. We played for high stakes, I can tell you, at our afternoon games. Bonanza Mackay won $950,000 from John Jacob Astor at one sitting—that’s 46,500,000 of your francs.” The Frenchman's expressions of surprise were cut short by announcements of fabulous sums which changed hands between Cornelius Vanderbilt, A. T. Stewart, George W. Childs, Chauncey M. Depew, and other wealthy men dead and alive. “Monsieur surprises me!” “Quite likely.: By the way, I'll tell you a secret, if you. don’t mind,” added the millionaire, becoming confidential. The Frenchman was willing. “Nearly all those millionaires who came over in the Umbria are going to Paris on this boat.” “Ah!” The Frenchman looked around magnates. “Of course this information will go no farther. They are traveling incognito, and wouldn't have their identity known for wagon-loads of money. If everybody knew them, you to see’ the can readily see they'd have-no peace.” SMEARLY IS TRYING TO GET SOME DEEP RELIGIOUS FEELING INTO HIS WORK, WHEN—— comicbooks.com