Life, 1889-01-03 · page 11 of 16
Life — January 3, 1889 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 11: Turn-of-Century American Satire This page contains several short satirical pieces typical of *Life* magazine's humor. The top cartoon shows two women discussing marriage: one boasts her husband is "enormously wealthy," yet she hasn't stopped shopping for ten days—satirizing women's materialism and consumerism. "A New Year Blessing" jokes about an editor greeting his friend "Mr. Scissors," dreading the "1-will-be-a-brother-to-you" joke (a popular catchphrase) for another four years. "Reflections" mocks Kentucky's violent reputation, sarcastically suggesting newspapers cover Kentucky "shootin' scrapes" only after more important news (Depew's injury, Emin Pasha's rescue, Stanley's expedition, the Panama Canal, copyright law) is resolved—implying these backwoods conflicts are considered trivial. The final illustration shows Death collecting children, with the caption encouraging them to return to work with "renewed energy"—dark humor about childhood labor or simply the grim reality of post-holiday life resuming. The overall tone is cynical about wealth, gender, regional violence, and progress.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Charles Howard be _ 11 AGAINST HIM. RS. GOLDDUST: Ihave always con- sidered Mr. Paperwate a gentleman, and I am sure you are prejudiced. Tell me what you have against him? Mr. GoLppusT: A judgment, my dear. A NEW YEAR BLESSING. ss HAPPY NEW YEAR to you, Mr. Scissors!” said Wig- gins, as he met his friend, the Editor, at the office door. “Indeed, it is,” replied the other. “I won't see the diabolical ‘1-will-be- Ethel: 1 AM SO GLAD YOU ARE MARRIED TO A WEALTHY MAN, ROSE. Rose: YES, HE IS ENORMOUSLY WEALTHY. Ethel: IN YOUR CASE MARRIAGE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE MUCH OF A FAILURE, Rose: FAILURE! WHY I'VE NOT STOPPED SHOPPING MORE THAN LONG ENOUGH FOR LUNCHEON IN TEN Days. REFLECTIONS. UR friends in Kentucky will doubtless pardon the suggestion that the news of their ‘shootin’ scrapes” takes up too much of the valu- i able holiday space of the news- papers. If they must shoot, why not shoot press-agents? Perhaps, after Mr. Depew’s leg is out from under glass, and Emin is rescued, and STANLEY . GETS BACK, and Osman Digna has been tried for perjury, and the Panama Canal project has been set up again in the next alley, and the International Copyright Bill has passed, the daily journals will have room to pay due attention to the blue grass perforation parties. x * * ‘T= diffusion of the school-master and consequent multi- plication of readers, have placed the rewards of great achievement on a new-basis. Republics may be as ungrate- ful as they will in our day, and princes may withhold their favors, but the man who has done great things and is able to write a book about them, is pretty sure to have something a-brother-to-you’ joke for four years more. Leap year has gone.” FOR THE NEW YEAR. COME, MY CHILDREN, YOU'VE HAD A GOOD REST. Now, Go FORTH TO YOUR WORK WITH RENEWED ENERGY AND VIGOR |