Life, 1889-02-21 · page 10 of 14
Life — February 21, 1889 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Nocturne in Black and White" This four-panel comic depicts a nighttime sequence at windows and doors. The progression shows figures outside attempting to communicate with or gain entry to someone inside—likely illustrating a comedic domestic or romantic scenario common to early 20th-century humor. The panel sequence uses the stark contrast of black (interior darkness/lit interiors) against white (exteriors/shadows) to create dramatic visual effect, which explains the title's reference to "black and white." Without clearer identification of the specific figures or context, the exact satirical point remains unclear—it may reference domestic quarrels, romantic intrigue, or social etiquette violations typical of Life magazine's satirical content. The detailed architectural rendering suggests this targets middle-class household situations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
> LIFE - POWER OF MUSIC. Y sweetheart sang ; the organ pealed— Sweet music I’m no scholar in, Yet all my senses seemed to whirl, And lo! I dropped a dollar in! RW. Criswell. “LIFE'S” REVISED TARIFF. T seeming likely that the Senate tariff bill may fail of passage, LIFE submits the following as a substitute measure : $500 per Ib. English Comedians, “* Noblemen (impover- ished and matrimonial) $300 per Ib. “ Accents ““ Swells (genuine) “4 ockney and Prince of Wales set . “Men's Garments (mis- fit and other) “Trained Servants . Italian Laborers . “ “dirt on Organ-grinders. . woo4 “ Mon- keysof, . .s “Counts, Marquises, Popes and Doges . Russian Novels... . “Names and Titles Jews, Polish»... . ‘«” English andre-imported “Diamonds on . 1 per cent, ad valorem. Free. Free. $500 per Ib. Prohibited. Prohibited. $20 per thousand. 3 per Ib. 10 per cent. ad valorem. goo 2 “ 2opercent. ad valorem. Prohibited. $600 per volume. 8oc. per mile. $ per head bounty. 5 per Ib. T per ton, Irish Agitators . 2... “Domestic Servants (Cas- tle Garden brand). . . ‘Male Cousins of same “willing to run American politics. German Limburger . “Beer . ease Wagner Musicians . Frankfurters Street-bands Dogs. Immigrants, ignorant as pauper . “ insane . : ignorant, pauper and insane anarchistic and socialistic. . Clergymen, Ac- tors, Artists and Skilled Laborers, Foreign reprints of American Books... 1... Worksof Art. 2... Prohibited. 1,000 per cent, ad valorem. Prohibited. $10 per head bounty. Prohibited Free. $3,000 per Ib. 1o per yd., 10 per cent. ad valorem. Prohibited. $3 per yd. 10 per head bounty. 3B, “ ey Prohibited. Free. $500 per sq. in., $500 per oz., and 2,000 per cent. ad valorem, Metcalfe. INTRICACIES OF THE LANGUAGE. APERWATE: How are you getting on with your English, Count ? CouNT CHARTREUSE: Ver’ well, indeed. Las’ night I ask ze hotel clerk who is ze what—you—call “ Whitechapel fiend,” and he say to me, “ He ees a dandy!” I look in ze dictionary, and I find me zat ze dandy is ze lady-killer. A NOCTURNE IN BLACK AND WHITE. comicbooks.com