Life, 1888-08-23 · page 4 of 14
Life — August 23, 1888 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 102 This page contains three distinct items: 1. **"The Railroad Fiend"** — A satirical poem depicting a man with a "kind, indifferent" face who systematically harasses train passengers by stealing their pillows, whispering threats, and extorting money ("I'm taking a straw vote"). This appears to be social satire about annoying passenger behavior on trains. 2. **"Our Fresh Air Fund"** — A charitable fundraising appeal with "Before and After" illustrations showing a sickly child versus a healthy one. The accompanying letter solicits donations for children's health initiatives, quoting donors' contributions. 3. **"Hard to Please"** — A brief comic dialogue about a governor disappointed with his son's college athletic performance, using baseball as the framing device. The page primarily functions as fundraising content mixed with light satirical humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE RAILROAD FIEND. IS face was kind, his accents smooth, his bearing wholly bland ; He smiled as down the aisle he strolled and grasped each pil- grim’s hand ; He downward bent and whispered soft, his speech was mild and low, But o'er each listener's face there came a look of deathly woe, Some groaned in grief, some rolled in fits, and three with death were smote, For to each one the fell-fiend hissed: ‘I'm taking a straw vote.” ° . . E have seen a journalist who has been confined to his bed, suffering from shock since August 10th. He is the editor of the only New York newspaper whose reporters were not the first to greet James G. Blaine on his arrival. He scorns the offers of dime-museum managers, and pro- poses to exhibit himself on his own account. . . . OUR FRESH AIR Before After OLLOWING is an extract from a letter sent us from an office where the fines for whistling are devoted to this fund : “Three dollars will be sent to you every week until you tell us to stop. The writer had an experience with the little ones last summer that proved conclusively the truth of your pictures of ‘Before and After.""—ONE OF THE WHISTLERS. We quote this for the benefit of those who may think our little heading an exaggeration. It is a plain, unvarnished tale. Moreover, it is not easy to exaggerate the expression of a child who is growing weak and sick for a breath of fresh air. Previously acknowledged The: ‘Mary Abbott Guild of St. Pauls Choreh, Oak- land, Cal : From Wilmington, Del.” i 3 “InHisName” , 2. Hal, Loll and Con, 8” Be ed Proceeds of a Fair held by seven little girls at Columbus, Ohio : Another Farmington G Girk. HHL... . HOM.P. Victor H. Kennard Pomfret, Conn. . Virginia and Annette For the Fresh Air Fund Rene and Vera. A Healthy Country Girl” Proceeds of a *' Pound Party” held for the Fresh Air Fund at Larchmont, N.Y... W. KE. : Frank, Dorothy and Baby Brother.” Entertainment by Cora and Florence . Mrs. Wyckhoff_ . Proceeds of a Fair hela by four children at Isp, whooping Gough cc wk eww oh {rom Sheldon, Pa.” . ee AReader .. eos Biz Herman and Mary Webster Grane Pointe . i i. 2 3 S.S. “Five Oakland Brothers, California" B, and B. : In Memoriam, W.BC .. M. Saville". ‘ From a Friend, (Morris Plains, N. ‘J. ) Kosh. oo. . Do... Dar. . Parker, Vincent and Beryle " Two Bachelors, St. Paul. Bird's Nest Cottage, Straws Point, N Mrs. J.C. Bridgeman. A King's Daughter, Rochester, N.Y. Wellwisher . ‘ Bernon and Kate Baby French Chas. Dissel ©. Fines for Slang Curtis Parker's Aunts IBM... Dotha (Buffalo) . Total, HARD TO PLEASE. ARRY: Your governor said last night, Jack, that. he was not at all satisfied with the re- sult of your last year at college. “Well, by George! I got on the eleven, and pitched for the nine, and won first in the singles. What on earth does he want?” comicbooks.com