Life, 1888-02-02 · page 12 of 16
Life — February 2, 1888 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Satire, January 1888 This page contains several short satirical pieces mocking contemporary figures and issues: **Main cartoon**: Shows a Victorian gentleman presenting a bathing edict from "Mr. Comstock"—likely Anthony Comstock, the notorious anti-vice crusader—mandating children be bathed fully clothed. The satire ridicules Comstock's extreme prudishness. **Text scraps** include mock letters from: - A Sing Sing prisoner offering to investigate newspaper circulation fraud cheaper than honest brokers - A society woman offering to "reduce" Treasury surplus (satirizing government waste) - Someone stuck in a hole requesting explorer A.W. Greely's rescue - A correspondent thanking Cleveland for a Constitution, treating it like light fiction The humor relies on absurdist logic, mocking real controversies: Comstock's censorship crusade, newspaper circulation dishonesty, government corruption, and political figures' perceived incompetence. Modern readers need context on Comstock's actual influence to appreciate the satire's bite.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SCRAPS. F our esteemed contemporary, the Suz, is right in saying that “literary property is not like any other, it is only the creature of the law, and the law which creates it limits its existence,” we fail to see why some smart penman hasn't the right to re- write Macaulay's Essays, “Paradise Lost,” Byron, and some other “literary property" whose ex- istence the law has terminated. ° * ° HE commander of the-steamship Zéro, who did such effective work in the rescue-of- the passengers of the W. A. Scholten, recently wrecked in the Channel, is named Captain Skipper. There seems to be a redundancy concealed somewhere on this gentleman's person, . . ° HEN an audience wishes to gaze upon Mrs. Potter simply as a beautiful woman, they look through the small end of the opera-glass; as an actress, she should be regarded through the PROM HEADQUARTERS DIRECT. large end. Vassal (appearing suddenly and mysteriously): \t 1s MR. ComsTock's ORDERS THAT, HEREAFTER, CHILDREN MUST BE RATHED WITH THEIR CLOTHES ON. M1. SING SING, January 21, 1888. Hon. J, Putitzer: Sir,—I notice that you vainly offer your friend Mr. Charles A. Dananias $10,000 to call at your office for the purpose of investigating and swearing to your circulation, Should Mr. Dananias continue to ignore your offer, 1 beg to inform you that I shall be at liberty, after February 1st, to place my services at your disposal at largely reduced rates. Indeed, I will call at your office, investigate your circulation and swear to most anything daily for $5,000 per annum through all eternity, should you desire it. I refer you to Messrs. Henry W. Jaehne, Gay W. Foster, Ferdinand Ward and others of your staff with whom I have been associated in governmental work for three years. Respectfully yours, J. W. WiLxixs, Lock Box 42, Sing Sing-on-Hudson. Iv. a january 20, 1 My Dear MR. PRESIDENT: January MORNING: I am a New York Society woman with large experience in the matter of surplus reduc- tion, Should you desire my services in dealing with the rapidly accumulating millions in the Treasury, please address Mrs. XX, Care of Life. Vv. January 28, 1888. How. A. W. GRreety: Dear Sir,—Recognizing your ability as an explorer and rescuer, I implore your aid in the unhappy situation in which I now find myself. I inadvertently crawled into a hole last autumn, and in a spasm of temporary insanity pulled the hole in after me, so that I am, to all in- tents and purposes, lost, Could you organize an expedition for my relief and, if I may use the term, retrieval? Answer care of the ex-Reverend McGlynn. Your lost admirer, H-N-¥ Ge-RGE. VI, How. Mr. CLEVELAND: Friend,—Thanks for your beautiful present. The Constitution of the United States forms most interesting reading, and goes well with my set of Rider Haggard and Clarke's Commentaries. Should you at any time attain to a fiftieth year in your present office, I shall be pleased to reciprocate your attention by sending you the blessing of Yours truly, Lo W. Pope, P. O. Box XIII., Rome. EVENING. comicbooks.com