Life, 1888-10-11 · page 11 of 14
Life — October 11, 1888 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 207: Satirical Commentary This page contains several distinct satirical pieces: **Top section**: Mocks a dramatic genius lamenting her work's caricature, suggesting even talented artists suffer professional disappointments. **"Thanksgiving Service"**: Celebrates the safe return of theatrical producer Augustin Daly and actor James Lewis from Europe, sarcastically implying European despots might have imprisoned them or denied passports—likely referencing contemporary anxieties about European political instability. **"No Doubt of It"**: Two murderers debate capital punishment. The joke satirizes criminal logic: they oppose execution as deterrent for *others*, but confidently assert it won't encourage *their own* crimes—revealing the absurd self-interest of criminals. **"An Interruption"**: A man writing anti-Administration rhetoric is interrupted by his laundress demanding payment, humorously deflating his political righteousness with domestic financial obligation. These pieces mock political posturing, artistic pretension, and criminal reasoning through everyday situations.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
feeling of a Christian mother who saw her children butchered to make a Roman holiday. Ah,me! Ah,me! Ah, me!" With this the genius folded her diaphanous angel-sleeves in a hard knot about her throbbing, beautiful throat, and rocked to and fro like a soul in torment. It was evident that the genius was suffering throes of anguish over the dramatic caricature of her great work, and the LIFE repre- sentative withdrew, convinced that even the business of being a genius has its drawbacks. . . . THANKSGIVING SERVICE should be held to cele- brate the safe return of Mr. Augustin Daly and his company of comedians. Lovers of good dramatic work have apprehended that some European despot, who knew a good thing when he saw it, might have denied Mr. Daly and his people passports from a foreign realm, or that Mr. James Lewis might have been incarcerated as a suspected dynamiter; but they are all safely returned, and ready to provide another season of dramatic enjoyment. . . . BOOKSELLERS report an increased sale of French Ol- lendorffs. Solid citizens and citizenesses, whose early education has been neglected, are learning the meaning of such expressions as “ Avez vous le pain bleu du Boulanger rouge?" in anticipation of the Coquelin-Hading season. Metcalfe. NO DOUBT OF IT. First Murdere) PUNISHMENT ; IT'S BRUTAL, THAT'S WHAT IT IS, US IT'LL STOP OTHERS FROM COMMITTIN' CRIME? Second Murderer: VM NOT THINKIN’ OF OTHERS JUST NOW, BUT I’M D—N SURE IT'LL STOP US, AND YER BET YER LIFE IT WON'T ENCOURAGE THE OTHER BOYS. 1 TELL YOU, BILL, THEY OUGHT TO DO AWAY WITH CAPITAL Do you suppose IF THEY HANG A THANKFUL HEART. COUNTRY editor publishes the fol- lowing : “We hereby tender our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Pellet for his prompt and satisfactory action in our rather critical case last evening. Doc., you are a good one! “Our thanks are also due our esteemed townsman, Mr. James Hawbuck, for a very luscious watermelon which he left on our desk at an early hour yesterday morning. Come again, Jim!” AN INTERRUPTION. “TT aeeen: Didn't I tell you, Horace, that I was writing an article against the Administration, and didn’t want to be interrupted this morning ? Horace: Yes, sah; but dis am de gal wif yo’ washin’, an’ she won't give it up un- less she gets some money. TYNNGOD: Oh—tell her I'll be down im- mediately. I didn’t expect any important business calls this morning, Horace. Goon only when used up—The umbrella. comicbooks.com