Life, 1888-01-26 · page 3 of 16
Life — January 26, 1888 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 45 This page contains three distinct sections: **Top:** "Desillusionie," a romantic poem by S.D.S., Jr., accompanied by an illustration of a couple in an intimate moment. The poem describes courtship and disenchantment in love. **Bottom Left:** "Nothing New Under the Sun" features a dialogue between Bjones and Jsmith, two men discussing changing fashion standards. Bjones notes that high collars were fashionable in his youth, while Jsmith observes "There's nothing strange about that"—a commentary on cyclical fashion trends. **Bottom Right:** Brief social humor items including wordplay about a widow, a book review joke about Mr. Howells, and a satirical anecdote about Miss Van Emerson's "Memoirs of Bonaparte," mocking pretentious literary aspirations and vanity publishing. The page's humor targets romantic naïveté, fashion cycles, and literary pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE DESILLUSIONE. PON the porch, this evening late, Miss Ingenue and I await The dance's ending ; Our converse lightly ebbs and flows, Our hands may touch, perhaps, who knows? I only see the blush that glows, Its beauty lending. And then my arm about her waist Is placed exactly to my taste, Without objection— Except a wriggle now and then, Especially at moments when The movements of our fellow-men Forebode inspection. I whisper to her as I lean Sly sentences that little mean, But worded neatly ; She answers not, but quite content, Her head against my shoulder bent, She seems on every word intent, And—slumbers sweetly. I take my rights, and with a kiss I rouse her gently, while in bliss She murmur's “ Harry !” My pleasure's spoiled. It now would seem I’ve furnished matter for a dream Of which another gets the cream— No more I'll tarry. The drowsy maiden I awake : She's left, as hasty leave I take All unprotected. I'm desillusioné, 'tis true; I haven't found Miss Ingenue So very ‘fresh,’ and ‘ green,’ and ‘new,’ As I expected. S DiS Jr NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN. fh, Ni fastens we have NOT CONFINED TO ONE SECTION. YMPATHIZING FRIEND (to widow whose husband was blown to pieces by nitro-glycerine): In what part of the oil country did your husband die, Mrs. Driller ? WInow (sadly) : now.” said Bjones, as a Sassiety youth in full war costume passed Poor John died pretty much all over it. E don’t know whether to believe the story that Mr. Howells replied to a person who asked for a list of him in the _ street. 5 the best hundred books: “I have not written a hundred “Look at the collar on him!” “There's nothing strange about that,” replied Jsmith, “I remember when I was a boy, the birds on my father’s farm wore than higher collars that.” books.” SPLENDID OPPORTUNITY FOR REVENGE. ISS VAN EMERSON (of Boston): Madame Junot's “Memoirs of Bonaparte” are very interesting. Don’t you think so, Mr. De Sappy? DE Sappy (sezzed with a desire to show the extent of his reading): Ya-as. And w-what a bully chance it was f-for Juno to get a whack in on P-Paris for giving Venus the aw- apple, don-cher-know ! comicbooks.com