Life, 1888-12-27 · page 12 of 43
Life — December 27, 1888 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 366 from Life Magazine - Satirical Commentary This page contains several unrelated humorous pieces typical of Life's satirical format: **"Reflections"** mocks Elliot F. Shepard, a wealthy society figure, for his talent at generating newspaper coverage through ostentatious gestures. The example cited is his brother-in-law's reception for a new rector at St. Bartholomew's Church—an event the *Mail* covered so extensively that it made New York's clergy seem previously ignored. Life satirizes Shepard's self-aggrandizing pronouncements about snobs and ministers needing to respect the clergy. **"Even More Necessary"** is a joke about a daughter who hosts parties not to entertain friends but to snub enemies—inverting social conventions for petty spite. **"Il Y A Raison Partout"** depicts Strephon using a Christmas mistletoe kiss with one woman as a pretext to pursue another—playing the field under the guise of testing a hypothesis. The remaining brief pieces joke about street-car etiquette, a stammering pedestrian's wasted time, and a newsboy's smart response.
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REFLECTIONS. ELLIOT F. SHEP- ARD isa droll per- son, and what an extraordinary talent he has for keeping other newspapers busy advertising his ! It seems as if every one had finished ad- - verting to hirh, and suddenly he will say something so re- markable that it fairly clamors to be talked about. What an example he made of himself, for instance over the reception given by Mr. Vanderbilt to St. Bartholomew's new rector. One would have sup- posed, to read the AZaz/ next day, that the clergy of New York had been outcasts and pariahs until Colonel Shepard's brother-in-law took pity on them. EVEN MORE NECESSARY. “Hereafter,” exclaimed Elliot, ‘‘no snob can turn up his nose at the sacred profession without ruling himself out of society. Indulgent Papa: WHY, MY DEAR, YOU HAD A PARTY LAST “Hereafter, no minister can say that he has not seen the interior MONTH, HOW OFTEN DO YOU WISH TO ENTERTAIN YOUR FRIENDS? Of one of the most splendid residences in the world.” She: Tis ONE 18 NOT TO ENTERTAIN MY FRIENDS, Papa, BUT The faculties of a man who writes that sort of thing while TO SNUB MY ENEMIES, sober must be disordered by something very nearly akin to “IL Y A RAISON PARTOUT.” HEN Strephon ‘neath the mistletoe Was caught (‘twas leap-year Christmas- tide), And Chloe, in a way not slow, The necessary kiss supplied, Why straight to Daphne he did flee, And put poor Chloe then to shame, Was not disgust—but just to see If Daphne wouldn't do the same ! THIS Baay CAN Hb We vebpey TATA 460 Wamnyg: I* good and regular standing—The man in the street-car full of women. HOW HE LOST TIME. EDESTRIAN: B-b-boy, can you t-t-tell me how f-f-far it is to the po-po-post- office ? Newspoy: What d’ye say, mister ? PEDESTRIAN: I-I-reckon you-you-heard me. How [-f-far is it to the po-post-office ? Newspoy: Only half a block, mister. If you hadn't a stopped to ask me you'd a been RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THOSE WHO WISH TO BEGIN THE NEW YEAR there a'ready. PROPERLY. comicbooks.com