Life, 1888-08-16 · page 3 of 14
Life — August 16, 1888 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 87 This page contains primarily **humorous observations and satirical quips** rather than political cartooning. The content includes: **"A Triolet"** — a poem by Elizabeth Ballou Walling about train travel, apparently poking fun at the mundane experience of boarding a train in Maine. **"Musical Instruments"** — a satirical list matching professions to instruments (fisherman/castanet, lawyer/lyre, politician/organ), suggesting each profession's characteristic traits through musical association. **"Axioms"** and **"Not Expressed Just Right"** — brief witty observations about social behavior and manners, typical of Life's satirical commentary on everyday life. The **illustrations** show domestic and nautical scenes without clear political figures. The humor targets social conventions, class behaviors, and everyday absurdities rather than specific political events or individuals.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: -A TRIOLET. HEY entered the train With no thought of disaster. ‘Twas a tunnel in Maine— bse, They entered the > ar train, ‘e And the transfer was i plain Of a bit of court-plaster. MM They entered the train dhs With no thought of disaster ! e) Elizabeth Ballou Walling, — 7 N MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. FoR THE FISHERMAN—Castanet. FoR THE Lawyer—Lyre. FoR THE POLITICIAN—Organ. FOR THE WHIST-PLAYER—Trumpet. For THE Horse-JOCKEY—Hautboy. For THE TopeR—Horn, FOR THE LAUNDRESS—Flute. FoR THE PAWNBROKER—Jewsharp. HV.S. AT THE SUMMER HOTEL, = = Mrs. Livingstone (to her sons, whose well-brushed hair and A MARKED IMPROVEMENT. clothes contrast with their unwashed faces): WHY, Bovs, WHY “ce ES, boys,” said the retired naval officer, as he re- DIDN'T YOU TAKE YOUR BATHS THIS MORNING? MARIE SAYS turned his glass to the bar, “the navy is improving. YOU" fowats AREN'T EVEN UNFOLDED, AND YOUR PITCHERS — p ARE FULL, For instance, there fe pot so much drunkenness now as there One of the Boys: Wu, MAMMA, IT SAID ON OUR DOOR, “No was when I was in it. WASHING ALLOWED IN THE ROOMS ;" SO, OF COURSE, WE COULDN'T “No, indeed!" shouted the boys. TAKE A BATH, AXIOMS. ORN TO RULE—A book-keeper. HE “wHoops ‘EM uP"— | The cooper. STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER—A porous- plaster. AWAITING ITS TURN—A buckwheat cake. WHEN is a despondent lover like a tumor? When he is cut out. IRONY—The wit of the laundry. NOT EXPRESSED JUST RIGHT. ae ] AM so glad your sis- C ter enjoyed her visit Y to us, Mr. Smit! 1, “Oh, well, you know, she ie is the sort of girl who can ‘O euey herself anywhere, you Younc S$. » THINKING IT UNSAILORLIKE TO SHIFT HIS SEAT TO AVOLD A LITTLE WATER, now. ENDEAVORS TO RETAIN H1S COMPOSURE AND NAUTICAL EQUANIMITY WHILE ON THE LEEWARD SIDE, comicbooks.com