Life, 1888-10-18 · page 5 of 14
Life — October 18, 1888 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 215 This page contains four brief satirical sketches typical of early 20th-century Life magazine humor: 1. **"Inherited Ability"**: A man and woman walking; the caption jokes that the man's brother is "practical" because he carries a pocket pinch-cushion—suggesting inherited family traits. 2. **"A Difficult Commission"**: A lady wants a portrait surprise for her husband, but worries the artist won't make it flattering enough that the husband recognizes it—poking fun at both portrait-painting and marital dynamics. 3. **"Medical Changes"**: A physician notes that modern medicine no longer bleeds patients (a common 19th-century practice), joking that patients do the bleeding themselves—satirizing outdated medical practices. 4. **"Misleading"**: A confusion between Army and Navy uniforms regarding gold stripes, mocking military insignia details. These are gentle, domestic humor pieces with no apparent political content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
INHERITED ABILITY. E. Cuthberton Gregg, Esq. (enumerating the characteristics of his family): Yaas, THE PWACTICAL ONE; HE CAWWIES A POCKET PINCUSHION, A DIFFICULT COMMISSION. ADY: You know, sir, I wish my portrait to be a total surprise for my husband. ARTIST: Yes, madame, I understand. Lapy: And you will try not to have too strong a likeness, as I would not wish him to recognize it at the first glance. MEDICAL CHANGES. ITIZEN (to elderly physician): You don't bleed patients as often as you did fifteen or twenty years ago? PHYSICIAN (looking over package of unpatd bills): No, we don’t bleed ‘em at all; they bleed us! Now, My BwoTHER FWED, He's A SMALL CONCESSION. LDERLY LADY (Co doy in hardware store): Hev ye got any o’ them hand-bellows fer buildin’ fires ? Boy: Yes'm; there's somethin’ nice—twenty-five cents each, ELDERLY Lapy: Is that the cheapest ye can sell ‘em? Boy: Yes’m; but I'll tell you what I'll do: as you don’t look to be a very stren’thy old leddy, I'll fill it with wind fer you. MISLEADING. RMY WOMAN: What is your uniform? REVENUE MARINE OFFICER: Very similar to the Navy uniform, but without the gold stripe on the trousers. ARMY WoMAN (whose husband is on the staff): We used to have the gold stripe on ours (tableau). Horrified officer. comicbooks.com