Life, 1889-03-14 · page 8 of 20
Life — March 14, 1889 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 150: Life Magazine Satirical Content This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: **"Two Opinions"** (top): A dinner conversation between Miss Clara and Mr. Paperwate about hot biscuits, with young Bobby declining. The humor appears gentle domestic comedy rather than political. **"A Set-Back for the Deacon"** (left): A child asks an adult about whether it's "wrong for little boys to coast on the Sabbath," claiming snow prevents proper sledding on Sunday. This satirizes Victorian religious strictness about weekend observance. **"Bad Form"** (center): A poem mocking men who reject formal evening dress in favor of unconventional trousers. It ridicules those claiming originality through fashion nonconformity, suggesting their "shapeless" attire is actually in poor taste. The remaining sketches appear to be social humor about street encounters and organ-grinders, typical of the magazine's gentle satirical style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: TWO OPINIONS. ISS CLARA (to Mr. Paperwate, at dinner): Mr. Paperwate, wilf you have a hot biscuit? I made them myself. Mr, PAPERWATE: Delighted, Miss Clara, and I'm doubtful if one will suffice. Miss CLARA: Oh, thank you, Mr. Paperwate! Will you you have one, Bobby ? Bossy: No sir-ree! my TWiwok A SET-BACK FOR THE DEACON. **Don'T YOU KNOW IT IS WRONG FOR LITTLE BOYS TO COAST ON THE SARBATH ?" “Not mucH! Dis SNOW COMED DOWN TER Day, AN’ I GUESS IT AIN'T NO SIN SLEDDIN’ IN SUNDAY SNOW.” The Count: AW, MEES JENNEE, CAN WE NOT CROSSA TO ZE OTHER SIDE OF ZE STREET? ZAT ORGAN-PLAYING I DO so. BAD FORM. ARHORR-RU! EHOLD the men of nerve, unique and daring, Who scorn the trite and usual evening dress, Who scorn to wear what other men are wearing, Who shine the more, the more they wear the less. From trousers of extreme conventionality Back to the costume of the days gone by, ‘These bold supporters of originality Sport silk on calf, on foot the buckled tie. Iconoclasts, may fame crown your endeavor ! the shapeless trousers of the day! “Welcome the beautiful, the grateful ever"— Be this thy motto, let who will gainsay. APTERTHOUGHTS. But, tell me, what shall haply come to him Who hath the shapeless, not the shapely limb, If he retain the ancient style of dress? Or if, according to this newest fad, He sports the shorts and silks? I do opine In either case his form is dev'lish bad! SoH. HW. eee ae The Organ-Grinder. Horiva, Spacnetti! Since you Have &s [™ afraid you're going to the bad,” as the old hen Gor UPPA IN ZE WORLDA, PAY ME ZAT TICKET-MONEY I LEXD remarked to the egg that wouldn't hatch. YOU .TO COME OVER! comicbooks.com