Life, 1888-10-18 · page 11 of 14
Life — October 18, 1888 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This page from *Life* magazine contains three satirical pieces: 1. **"Ye Autumn Day"** (poem by John James Meehan): A mock-archaic verse about autumn's return, when utility workers—gas-men, coal-men, ice-men—raise prices. The satire mocks inflated bills customers receive for the same services they paid less for in summer. 2. **"A Difficult Literary Performance"**: A joke about a young author whose friend only read his article because of a bet, not from genuine interest. The satire targets pretentious amateur writers and questions their actual readership. 3. **"Practice Makes Perfect"** and **"Reflections"**: A brief dialogue mocking religious instruction (a minister challenges a boy's literal belief in biblical miracles), followed by commentary on the "Whitechapel unknown"—likely referencing the Jack the Ripper murders—and comparing extremists like "Chinese Gordon" to understand human motivation. The overall theme criticizes hypocrisy, false pretension, and irrational behavior in society.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
YE AUTUMN DAY, Eautumn cometh, sere and olde, .+ Ye pilgrim passyth on ye wolde, And blowen uppe ye northwindecolde, “\y'_Loude singen gas-man! Returnyth now, ye hungry seer, To winter fyre and winter cheere, From mountayne slope and sounding mere. Loude singen coal-man ! \ For summer-day ys swiftlie fledde, And summer-night ys chill, Ye pilgrim in ye summer bower Now readyth on hys bill That food and drink and other thingges, That eke he was allowne, Are figured atte a triple rate From that he payyes in towne. Loude singen gas-man, Loude singen coal-man, Loude wailen ice-man! Jokn James Meehan, A DIFFICULT LITERARY PER- FORMANCE, OUNG AUTHOR (to friend): I say, Fred, did you read my last article in the Every Other Monthly? FRIEND (enthusiastically): Yes, indeed, old boy; I read it through twice! YOUNG AUTHOR: Oh, then you must have found it very interesting ? FRIEND: Well—er—no, not so much that; but Fred Smith bet me ten dollars that I couldn't read it through twice, and I bet ints MY LITTLE BOY BELIEVES IT. him ten dollars that I could. Bobby: YES, RUT YOUR LITTLE BOY HAS BEEN GOING To SuNDAaY SCHOOL — zs = LONGER THAN I, He's HAD MORE PRACTICE IN THOSE THINGS THAN I HAVE. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. Minister : SO-YOU DON'T BELIEVE THE STORY ABOUT THE LOAVES AND FISHES, Bossy? REFLECTIONS, PROFESSOR ORDRONAUX, a medico-legal expert of Columbia College, has suggested that the Whitechapel unknown is the exponent of a demoniacal possession. The professor thinks there is nothing in human nature to make a man cut up so, and that it is reasonable to suppose that back of such phenomenal behavior is a distinct evil agency which denomi- nates the performer's mind. This view is interesting, and though not as material as the modern mind might wish, is no queerer than any other theory that would account for the phenomena. . . . I‘ is to such extremists as this Whitechapel person at one end and, say, Chinese Gordon at the other, that we must look for information as to 1 the powers that make, or help to make, the human wheels go round. Most GETTING THE DROP ON HIM. of us, being creatures of mixed motives, roll half a turn to the right, and comicbooks.com