Life, 1888-05-03 · page 5 of 16
Life — May 3, 1888 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 249 This page contains three distinct pieces: 1. **"Somethin' to Say"** (C.N. Hod): A poem about a father rejecting his daughter's suitor—a wealthy but lazy man. The father refuses to support an idle son-in-law, expressing working-class values about earning one's keep. 2. **"An Historical Incident"**: A brief anecdote from 1868 about Second Adventists predicting the world's end in September, with a clergyman's sardonic response about an election outcome making the prophecy moot. 3. **"An Outside Study"** and **"A Thing Apart"**: Humorous dialogue snippets—one about education costs, another questioning whether an entertaining friend is American or English (he's Bostonian). The illustrations are period sketches accompanying these satirical vignettes on class, religion, and American social types.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
=O AN HISTORICAL INCIDENT. N 1868, when Seymour and Grant were running for President, there was a gath- ering of the Second Adventists, in July, at Milwaukee. These people, it will be remem- bered, believed that the world was coming to anend in September. One morning one of the clergymen found a democrat from Ken- tucky and a republican discussing the ap- proaching election. He said : “Gentlemen, there is no use in discussing this question, for before that time the Lord will reign triumphant throughout the world.” The democrat replied, “I will bet you twenty-five dollars he can’t carry Kentucky.” AN OUTSIDE STUDY. LD BOGGS: I've come up to see about these bills o’ yourn, Harry. Harry: Yes, sir; but you know a scien- tific education is very expensive. OLD Boccs: I dessay it is, Harry; but if you took mathematics instead of poker it would not only be less expensive, but might prove of more use to you later. HE penny’s mighty,” tramp, as he pleaded for the price of a night’s lodging. “Guess the sward will do you to-night,” growled the unpoetic Bobley, as he vanished in the gathering dusk. quoted the SOMETHIN’ TO SAY. (With apologies to J. W. Riley.) METHIN’ to say, my daughter? Well, you bet, I’ve somethin’ to say ! Some fathers might let things take their course, but your dad ain’t built that way. Yer see, I work for a livin’ now, and I earn enoiigh for two ; But I'll be gol darned if I'm goin’ to feed another along with you. If you wanted to marry a decent man, who was earnin’ decent pay, Most likely I’d tel you to go ahead, and hurry and set the day ; But I know the wuthless dude you want, and I know his little lay. Somethin’ to say, my daughter? Well, you bet, I’ve somethin’ to say! Now don’t be cryin’, daughter, and don’t feel hard at me— You'd know you'd better be single, if only you could see ; But to think of your marryin’ such a man as lazy young Dandy Jim— Though, 'f he knew enough to earn his salt, don’t know’s I'd object to him. It isn’t him at all, you say; but the old man millionaire ?— Why, child, you make your father proud ; just let me kiss you—there ! And you want me to add my blessing, and come to the house and stay? Well, I guess you can manage your own machine, and I ain't got nothin’ to say. A THING APART. Miss A,: Is HE AN AMERICAN OR AN ENGLISHMAN? Mr B.; NEITHER. SELF. He's A BOSTONIAN. I FIND YOUR FRIEND QUITE ENTERTAINING—WHEN HE FORGETS HIM- comicbooks.com