Life, 1889-03-07 · page 13 of 18
Life — March 7, 1889 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several unrelated satirical pieces typical of Life magazine's humor: **"Why the Hemp Party Was a Failure"** shows frontier figures attempting executions by hanging—apparently mocking a political party or movement as incompetent or frivolous, though the specific "Hemp Party" reference is unclear without additional context. **"Too Frivolous"** satirizes an absent-minded philosopher more concerned with his coal bin than philosophical questions, mocking intellectuals disconnected from practical reality. **"A Gross Libel"** references Dr. Parley preaching a "heavenly bacchanalian sermon"—religious hypocrisy about a minister contradicting Christian temperance values. **"A Bad Errand"** presents a father-son joke where the son humorously turns parental suspicion back on the father. The final note about theatrical managers relates to the company they keep—a general aphorism about reputation. All pieces rely on wordplay, irony, and social commentary typical of early American satirical magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*LIFE-: WHY THE HEMP PARTY WAS A FAILURE. TOO FRIVOLOUS. The Philosopher's Wife: LIONEL, WHICH DO YOU CONSIDER OF THE GREATEST IMPORTANCE OF THE FINAL QUESTIONS OF LIFE, THE “HAVE BEEN” OR THE “(MIGHT HAVE BEEN?” The Philosopher (sadly): THE COAL BIN, A REVISED VERSION. H, my love is like a red, red rose In the winter o’ the year; And that, as every lover knows, Is very, very dear. Anna M. Pratt. A GROSS LIBEL. HO is that?” “It’s Dr. Parley, who preached that heavenly bacchanalian sermon last Sunday.” A BAD ERRAND. R. GIBBS (meeting his son late at night): Where are you going at this time of night, John? On no good errand, I'll warrant. Joun: No, sir; I was going to look for you. HE theatrical manager is known by the company he keeps. A TALE OF THE WESTERN BORDER. 141 comicbooks.com