Life, 1888-05-10 · page 12 of 16
Life — May 10, 1888 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 270 Analysis This satirical page mocks several contemporary trends and figures: **"Volapük"** (top): Satirizes an invented universal language gaining popularity. The poem ridicules pretentious intellectuals and social climbers who adopt it to seem cultured—suggesting they're mere poseurs following fashionable jargon. **"Mistress Jane"** illustration: A domestic humor joke about a wife's casual acceptance of her husband's infidelity, implying marital indiscretion was normalized among certain circles. **"Not Since"**: Mocks a fashionable lady's ignorance—she asks a German clerk about Schubert's new compositions, unaware the composer died decades ago. This targets wealthy dilettantes' pretended cultural sophistication. **Small jokes below**: Gentle humor about Midwestern town names ("Kalamazoo," "Oshkosh"), lost watches, and epitaphs. **"The American Salon"**: Attacks temperance reformers' hypocrisy—the temperance orator ironically describes American saloons' "supply of liquor," exposing the gap between prohibition rhetoric and reality. The page overall ridicules social pretension, faddishness, and hypocrisy among the educated classes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
270 VOLAPUK. HIS new universal lingo, That at presents raising jingo— So to speak : Say, do people pet or maul it, When they twist their lips and call it, “*Volaptik?” There’s a certain set who've hinted, (And they know most all that’s printed In a book) That they've taken time to weigh it, And ’tis proper thus to say it : “ Volapik.” And some other word-proud mortals, Who don't let their talking portals, Run amuck ; Say that those who're with the inner Circle always name the winner “ Volapitk Mistress : JANE, WILLIE INFORMS ME THAT MY HUSBAND KISSED YOU YESTERDAY. ‘Volapiik.” Jane: OH! THAT'S ALL RIGHT MA'M—I'VE GOT USED TO IT Now. There’s another set as formal, = = es And orthoepy so abnormal, NOT SINCE. They rebuke’; But if Stormonth would announce it, They would forthwith all pronounce it ASHIONABLE LADY (¢o German clerk): Has Schubert written any “* Volapiik.” new songs lately ? W, J. Duggett. CLERK: No, Madam, not since he died. Scene: Foreign music shop on Union Square. ACCUSTOMED TO IT. STRANGER (to fellow passenger) : From the West, sir ? PASSENGER: Yes, Oshkosh. STRANGER: I'm from Kalamazoo, myself. PASSENGER: That so! Kalamazoo is a funny name for a town. STRANGER: Yes, I s’pose it does sound funny to a man from Oshkosh ; but we Kalamazoo people are used to it.” THE FLIGHT OF TIME. TRANGER: Excuse me, young man, but is your watch going? YOUNG Man (feelingly): No, sir; it’s gone! I | OW astonished some dead men would be if they could get out of the grave long enough to read their epitaphs. UIDA says that smoking is “silly.” She may be right. If anybody can give official information on silliness Ouida can. THE AMERICAN SALON. A PEACEFUL NATURE. EMPERANCE ORATOR: Go into our American gin ? “Way, Jim! WHAT DID YOU SHOOT THAT MAN FOR?” palaces, and what do Jeu find ? 5 f “To AVOID TROUBLE, I KNEW WE'D BE A QUARRELIN’ IF WE A Voice: Full supply of liq(4#c)or and the finest show 0 KEP’ ON, AND I HATE A ROW.” pic(Zzc)tures this side of th’ Atlantic(Azc) Ocean. comicbooks.com