Life, 1888-11-15 · page 12 of 16
Life — November 15, 1888 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This Life magazine page contains social satire from the early 20th century: **"On the 'L' at Six P.M."** is a poem satirizing Chicago's elevated train system during rush hour. It mockingly catalogs the diverse crowd—reporters, detectives, clerks, porters, women factory workers—packed together in chaotic conditions, emphasizing the indignity and discomfort of modern urban transit. **The mother-daughter cartoon** jokes about a child's shame over misbehavior, with the child worried the scandal will become public knowledge—satirizing family propriety and social embarrassment. **"The Sable Entertainers"** discusses minstrel shows (a now-offensive form of entertainment featuring blackface performers). The conversation between "R. Dockstader" (likely referencing a real minstrel performer) and "Mr. Lirk" attempts to explain minstrelsy's popularity by citing white American audiences' appetite for this entertainment and their "sure and regular constituency." This reflects the era's casual racism regarding what was then mainstream entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
278 ON THE “L” AT SIX P.M. USHING eager up the stairway, Crowding fast on heel and toe; Nickels clutching in the gangway While we, hurrying, trainward go. Young and old, the rich and needy— All conditions known to men— Dainty blade and tradesman seedy, On the ''L" at six p.m. News-reporters posing queerly, On the watch for novel scenes ; Sly detectives, looking bleary, Slyer rogues alert for “greens.” Clerks in gray, with manner airy, Portly, uppish, merchant men ; Brokers lean, in aspect ‘ beary,” On the 'L” at six P. at. Fi Ce i Porters rough and dockmen burly, Simp'ring dudes with crooked cane ; Agents trim and butchers surly, Grumbling ‘cause they've miss'd a train : All a-jostling one another, Through the gateways cramming in— Mercy, what a horrid pother On the ‘'L" at six Pp. M.! Mama: WELL, DID YOU TELL GoD HOW NAUGHTY YOU HAVE BEEN? Lily: No, 1 was asHaMeD. I THOUGHT IT HAD BETTER NOT GET OUT OF THE FAMILY. Clanging bells and engines puffing, As they rumble to and fro; Noisy urchins always stuffing, Howling, wriggling as they go. Husky brakemen, in a flurry, Banging gates with might and main, Yet careless of the people's hurry On the *L" at six Pp. at. Pallid women just releaséd From the workshop and the store ; Giggling maidens easy pleaséd, Ogling boobies by the score. Evening papers, last edition, Sitters glum intent on them, Hungry brains for erudition On the 'L" at six rp. M. THE SABLE ENTERTAINERS. 4 R. DOCKSTADER, can you tell me why your minstrels are enabled to keep open house during the entire dramatic season and have fair-sized audiences each even- ing?” “T can’t tell you, Mr. Lirk, why my minstrels are enabled to keep open house during the entire dramatic season, and Seats and aisles and ev'ry bearing— Nowhere left an inch of space ; All packed in like cheap smoked her- ring, In this modern age of grace. Roar and rattle onward bouncing, Thus it daily is with them, Trains and people all a-flouncing On the ‘'L" at six Pp. at. Henry Sinclare Drayton, DUTCH CLOCK—The Watch on the Rhine, have fair-sized audiences each evening. ~yWill you please tell us, Mr. Lire, why my minstrels sare enabled to keep open open-house during the entire dramatic season, and have fair houses each evening ?” ‘+1 will tell you, Mr. Dockstader, why your minstrels are enabled to keep open house during the entire dra- matic season, and have fair-sized audiences each even- ing. In the first place, there is a large element among the American publi: which regards nezro minstrelsy as the highest form of dramatic enter- tainment, These people you have for a sure and regular constituency. Next, there is a class nv comicbooks.com