Life, 1888-11-08 · page 5 of 14
Life — November 8, 1888 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 257 from Life Magazine - Satirical Commentary This page contains several brief satirical dialogues mocking American political and social attitudes circa early 1900s. **"His Dinner Toilet"** jokes about class pretension—a working-class man wants to look respectable for dinner despite shabby clothes. **"Why He Went South"** depicts a Southern gentleman (Baboony) explaining why he abandons his overcoat in winter rather than risk wearing it publicly—satirizing Southern pride and vanity. **"Rank Injustice"** mocks dishonest betting practices at horse races, showing spectators complaining about fixed outcomes. **"No Encouragement"** presents a romantic rejection, while the final joke portrays a child asking his father whether he's Republican or an emigrant—conflating political affiliation with outsider status, likely satirizing anti-immigrant sentiment or Republican party identity among certain demographics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE- HIS DINNER TOILET. JSANNA: Won't yo’ stop an’ have a bite to eat wif us, Br'er Slabsides, afore yo’ go to town? Br’ER SLABSIDES: I yain't ‘zackly in dinnah dress jus’ now, Susanna, but . if yo’ will wait until I shed dhis coat ‘n’ hat, ‘n’ roll up my sleeves, I'll be ' ready to jine yer! EPUBLICAN FARMER: I s'pose you keep all’ kinds of trash for sale, don't you? + DEMOCRATIC PEDDLER: Everything but Republican tariff speeches. WHY HE WENT SOUTH. we NS: And so you're going South to spend the oY winter, Algy? Bapoony: Aw-yaas; my constitution, ye know, is too delicate to stand the wigors of this climate. Wiccins: But there's your fur-lined overcoat! Bawoony: That's just the twouble, dear boy. Nobody but a cart-man could endure the fatigue of wearing that gawment ; and yet if I stayed here I wouldn't dare to appeaw on the stweets in anything else! AMBO: Whar’s you gwine, Remus, with that sack; cotton ain't ready to pick yet? Remus: I know dat, Sambo; but de chickins is. RANK INJUSTICE. WHAT DID THE HORSES STOP FOR, GEORGE?” “THEY MADE A FALSE START AND HAVE TO GO RACK TO THE POST AGAIN,” “OH, GEORGE, AND THE HORSE WE ARE BETTING ON WAS EVER SO FAR AHEAD! I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR,” NO ENCOURAGEMENT, “cc D' “That she was tired.” “* And the third time? E: Will you be a sister to me? SHE: No; but I will be your wife, darling. HE: That is not what I want, dear. OHNNY (who finds politics bewildering): Papa, which a Republican or an emigrant? D you ask Miss Pointer to dance last night?” ‘Yes, and she said she was engaged.” ‘And what did she say the second time?” “ That she was going home.” WS . Don’t BE FRIGHTENED, CHILD; I won't BITE YOU, I SWALLOW EVERYTHING WHO! are you, anyway, comicbooks.com