Life, 1889-01-24 · page 3 of 16
Life — January 24, 1889 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 45 **"Afternoon Tea"** is a poem celebrating the British custom of afternoon tea service, humorously praising Polly's skill at brewing and serving tea with "dimpled hands" among delicate cups. **"Free Medical Advice"** presents a brief joke about a doctor's pragmatic response to an incurable stomach ailment: advertise the condition and wait for someone to bring it back—implying the illness is too common to treat seriously. **"Some Portraits"** depicts seven identical figures in top hats and formal dress, captioned as Western clergymen protesting an inauguration ball. The satire suggests these rigid, stern-faced religious figures would have been happier in 1620s Puritan times, when such revelry was condemned. The joke mocks Victorian-era religious opposition to modern secular celebrations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AFTERNOON TEA. HEN Polly puts the kettle on To brew her choice Bohea, And asks me, with a witching glance, If I am fond of tea, Although I hate the horrid stuff, T hasten to reply That few regard that beverage With such delight as I. For, oh! to watch her dimpled hands Go flitting in and out Among the quaintly-flowered cups That edge the tray about ; To see her pout and hesitate Above the sugar-bowl, And wonder if one lump or two Is nicer, on the whole ! For privileges such as these, ’Twould be a foolish man Who did not swallow all the tea Imported from Japan ; And in my heart I think myself The happiest soul alive, When Polly puts the kettle on Each afternoon at five ! FREE MEDICAL ADVICE. OCTOR,” said a citizen as he overtook him on the street, “what do you do in case of a gone stom- ach?” “Well,” replied the doctor, thoughtfully, “I’ve never had such a case myself, but I would recommend you to advertise for it and then sit down in a large easy-chair and wait until somebody brings it back.” A DOUBTFUL FUTURE. INISTER (a¢ dinner, to Bobby): 1 suppose, Bobby, you want to grow up to be a good and useful mem- ber of society ? Bossy: Oh, yes! I want to be in the best society, but I don’t b’lieve that I can get there. Pa and ma never could. BEASTLY WEATHER—When it rains cats and dogs. SOME PORTRAITS. ARE THESE EARLY NEW ENGLAND PURITANS? No, THEY ARE: WESTERN CLERGYMEN OF TO-DAY PROTESTING AGAINST AN INAUGURATION BALL. ‘WOULDN'T THESE GENTLEMEN HAVE HARMONI..“D RATHER BETTER WITH THEIR. ENVIRONMENT IF THEY HAD FLOURISHED ABOUT 1620? comicbooks.com