Life, 1888-12-27 · page 28 of 43
Life — December 27, 1888 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century American humor: **"The Latest Fashion"** mocks wealthy pretension—the Blimbers hire four clergy and rent a country house for their daughter's wedding, treating it as an ostentatious display rather than a sincere ceremony. **Bond and Stock dialogue** plays on contrasting heights: Bond met an exceptionally tall man not in a circus, while Stock (a financial trader who recently improved his finances) jokes he's the shortest—trading on the contemporary association between poverty and physical stature. **"An Opinion from Squeehawket"** features rural characters visiting the city. Aunt Harriet mistakes telegraph poles for clotheslines hung impossibly high, and Mr. Oatcake blames the "Elevated road" (elevated train) for making clothes-drying difficult. The humor derives from rural ignorance of urban infrastructure—a common satirical theme mocking country folk unfamiliar with modern cities. The page's overall tone ridicules both urban affectation and rural naiveté.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE LATEST FASHION. HE Blimbers seem to have spared no expense to make their daughter's wedding a fashionable event, I see.” “cs men to officiate, and hired a furnished country- house to perform the ceremony in.” OND: I just met the tallest man I ever saw who was not on exhibition. STOCK (who has just made his margins good, and ts searching his pockets for lunch Sunds): Yes, and gaze on me; and you'll see the shortest. THE STORY OF A WIDEAWAKE SEED AGENT AND TWO REDSKINS. “No, indeed. Why, they had four clergy- _ “THE ANGEL! I WONDER WHAT SHE THOUGHT WHEN SHE RECEIVED THE FLOWERS.” Later: “ARE YOU THE YOUNG FELLER WHAT SENT ME SOME FLOWERS?” AN OPINION FROM SQUEEHAWKET. CAN'T see, Abner,” exclaimed Aunt Harriet, on her first visit to the city, as she eyed the long array of telegraph poles on Sixth Avenue—“I can't see why these city folks hang their clothes-lines so high. My! just look at that man climb.” * Mebbe it’s to keep ‘em out o’ the smoke,” replied Mr. Oatcake; “this Elevated road must make the dryin’ powerful hard.” oc comicbooks.com