Life, 1888-05-24 · page 12 of 18
Life — May 24, 1888 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 298: Early 20th Century Humor This page collects brief satirical pieces typical of *Life* magazine's humor format: **"Just Fancy"** jokes that spring baseball season captures everyone's imagination—a gentle jab at Americans' obsession with the sport. **"Good Luck"** features a Western prospector bruised from a fight, claiming "I got the pot"—likely referencing both poker winnings and gold prospecting, with the implication he won money but got beaten up in the process. **"None Too Large"** mocks a Jewish tailor (Isaacstein, identified by stereotypical dialect) who dismisses a customer's complaint that a coat is oversized, claiming the customer will "grow into it"—satirizing both overselling and immigrant merchants. **"A Glimpse Into the Future"** shows a couple's romantic moment interrupted by a train or automobile—mocking how modern technology intrudes on private moments. **"Short in His Experience"** suggests newlyweds haven't truly tested their marriage until they've tackled practical domestic challenges like clothes shopping. The page reflects early 20th-century American social anxieties: technology, immigration, consumerism, and changing gender relations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
» EFFE : JUST FANCY. H, it is in the spring that the young man’s fancy, the old man’s fancy, the middle- aged man’s fancy, the young woman's fancy, the old wom- an's fancy, the mid- dle-aged woman's fancy, the boy's and girl's fancy, and every- body's else who has any fancy, includ- ing the national fancy, lightly turn to thoughts of baseball. Just fancy! GOOD LUCK. TRANGER (to Western Citizen): My friend, you are sadly bruised and battered, and parts of your ear seem to be missing. You must have had some bad luck. WESTERN CITIZEN: Bad luck! Great Scott! Stranger, I got the pot. NONE TOO LARGE, USTOMER (¢o Mr. Isaacstein): The coat is about three sizes too big. Mr. ISAACSTEIN (¢mfressively): Mine frent, dat coat make you so proud you vill grow into it. H™ pleasant it must be for the enterprising burglar when he silently forces the front door, to find the hospitable legend hung on the wall “Welcome, Stranger.” Every calling in life has more or less pleasant features. Philip H. Welch. THE COURSE OF TRUE—WHAT'S ITS NAME—NEVER DID RUN, ETC. He; HERE, DEAR BEATRICE, FAR, FAR FROM THE BUSY HAUNTS OF MEN, WHERE NO EYE CAN SEE NOR NO VOICE REACH US, LET ME ASSURE YOU— (it was at this particular moment that a well-known exclamation reached their ears.) A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE. WHAT FAST DRIVING IN THE STREETS WILL BRING US TO. SHORT IN HIS EXPE- RIENCE. APPY YOUNG HUS- BAND: Belle and I get along very amicably,, Not the slightest coldness has occurred, and we have been married almost a year. WISE FATHER: Did you ever try to match any trimming for her? “No, I haven't.” “Then your experience hasn't commenced yet.” N&s pour coals of ire on your enemy's head. He might become fiery and go for you, shovel and tongs. comicbooks.com