Life, 1888-08-16 · page 11 of 14
Life — August 16, 1888 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 95 **The Main Cartoon:** A rural domestic comedy. A boy breathlessly reports to his father that "a man" has run away with "her"—implying elopement. The father panics, asking "with the colt?" (the horse). The boy clarifies: "with Mother!" The father then calmly says he'll fetch her back, with a note explaining she was "a Vassar girl"—implying educated women from elite colleges were prone to romantic escapades or running away. **The Joke:** The humor relies on class assumptions: a valuable horse warrants alarm; a wife is retrievable. The Vassar reference suggests satirizing educated, independent-minded women as unpredictable. **The "Reflections" Section:** Discusses recently deceased wealthy figures, particularly "Uncle Lawrence Jerome" (appears to be about financial legacy), and celebrates Colonel George L. Perkins of Norwich, a 100-year-old railroad treasurer still working—framed as an admirable longevity example. **Context:** This reflects Gilded Age attitudes toward women, class, and mortality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Boy (breathlessls): Ot, Dad! THERE'S A MAN BEEN HERE ANO RUN AWAY WITH HER! Father (in alarm): Wnat! Wit THE coLT? Boy: No; with Moruer! Father (more calmly): OW WALt NE'LL FETCH Aer BACK, N.B.—She was a Vassar girl. S€ TVEATHERS marked down,” REFLECTIONS. aston acdealer. That ts HAT js bad news about Uncle Lawrence Jerome. As LIFE goes to press, his departure = in the direction of the majority seems imminent, When a very rich man dies, the i reflection sometimes comes, “Well, he cannot take his money. That will benefit those A Grounp-HoG— Sausage. » that are left." In Mr. Jerome's case, this consideration affords no solace, It was not the money that he has had that has distinguished him, but the fun. Thousands of men have Foor-Licuts—Dancing men. had more money, but very few have had so much fun. But, though he has had so much, “ it will not happen when he ceases to enjoy himself on earth that there will be any more fun here for any one else, Rather less, Which shows one distinction between fun and money. . . . HERE has been much this past week to remind us of our mortality. Uncle Larry's illness, General Sheridan's death, Mr. Garrett's renewed indisposition, and the demise of the customary myriads of unknown persons in less comfortable circumstances. It is pleasant under these conditions to notice the distinguished stand made against the common enemy by Colonel George L. Perkins, of Norwich. Colonel Perkins was one hundred years old on the sth of August, and though happily removed from the necessity of sawing wood, chewing tobacco, and performing other of the laborious tasks affected by centenarians, he is a robust and active gentleman, and is unique in being the only railroad man of his age in active service, He has been treasurer of a railroad down in Connecticut ever since it was built, fifty years ago. He remembers distinctly when General Washington died, and is even said to recollect when the jokes in London Punch were A CONEY ISLAND BREAKER. comparatively new. He is a wonderful old man, and a credit and encouragement to his sex. comicbooks.com