Life, 1889-04-25 · page 15 of 25
Life — April 25, 1889 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical jokes about nouveau riche Americans and social climbing in the early 20th century. The opening text mocks wealthy people with "money but no grandfathers"—newly rich individuals lacking aristocratic ancestry—who frantically commission fake antique furniture to appear established. "Giving Himself Away" jokes about Colonel Blood's overly rigid posture, which his wife attributes to dining with friends (implying he's drunk and stiffening himself to hide it). The humor lies in an outsider complimenting what is actually an embarrassing affectation. Additional quips mock slow streetcars and satirize New York social geography: downtown residency (where immigrants and working-class people lived) versus uptown prestige. The final item suggests that mere generational residence in fashionable Madison Square area automatically confers social status—a jab at how wealth and geography define social acceptance rather than merit or character.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE manufacturers of antique furniture are in a state of nervous prostration through over- work in filling the orders of people who had money but no grandfathers, GIVING HIMSELF AWAY. Caller (watching Col. Blood as he approaches): WHAT A SOLDIERLY BEAR- ING YOUR HUSBAND Has, MRS. BLOOD! HE CARRIES HIMSELF SO VERY STRAIGHT AND ERECT. Mrs. Blood (without looking around): 1 EXPECT SO, HE HAS BEEN DIN- ING WITH SOME FRIENDS. vented him from explaining how the volume of Chaucer fell to his lot. During his protracted stay in the mountains subsequent to the robbery, this was the only mind food he was able to obtain. This was unfor- tunate in a sense, as it irretrievably ruined his spelling, and to a man who has always shown such a deep interest in mail matter this was indeed a misfortune; but it made him an authority on Chaucer. The lecture was erudite to a fault and deeply interesting. Tom Hall, TM down-town bob-tail cars should bear the legend, “ Drop a nickel in the slot and see how much faster you could have walked home.” HE only way to get on in this world is to move up. The New Yorker who lives way, way down- town, where his great- grandfather did, is not going tothat ball. Four generations should car- ry one up to Madison Square, at least. comicbooks.com