Life, 1889-05-02 · page 12 of 20
Life — May 2, 1889 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Explanation for Modern Readers This *Life* magazine page contains several period humor pieces: **"Caught"** (top left): A poem about a man embarrassed when a woman (Phyllis) catches him looking at her ankle—a scandalous act in the era when women's ankles were hidden. The humor lies in the social transgression and his awkward explanation. **Lent joke**: Satirizes a man's reluctance to make genuine religious sacrifice; he only gave up repaying a debt. **"Lawn Fate" menu**: A satirical invitation from "The Eighty-Niners" (likely Oklahoma settlers from the 1889 land rush). The menu mockingly lists frontier violence as "dishes"—"Line Stakes with Poker Chips," "Brass Knuckles," "Winchester Puffs"—joking that Oklahoma was lawless and dangerous, populated by violent criminals and con artists ("Sandbaggers," "Suckers"). **Three A.M. cartoon**: A drunk man can't recognize his own house, suggesting urban displacement or intoxication's disorientation. **"Point of Honor"**: A boy refusing to tattle is called a "gentleman"—gentle satire on misguided honor codes.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
» LIFE CAUGHT. HEN Phyllis turned her eyes on me I blushed and hesitated ; For though on terms familiar, we Were not at all related. W Sy re ISS I felt her mild, reproachful glance, And knew her words would rankle ; To tell the truth, I had by. chance Been looking at her ankle. Tom Hall. HAT have you given up for Lent, Jack?” Nothing, except that tenner I lent De Fer last Easter.” BROWN COUNTY, Illinois man, eighty-six years old, has never seen a piano. He is a hale and hearty old Christian, and never swore in his life. His paths have been paths of pleasantness, and all his ways were ways of peace. AN INVITATION. THE EIGHTY-NINERS REQUEST THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY ATA LAWN FATE 22D APRIL, HIGH NOON. Menu. OYSTERS Little Next Claims OKLAHOMA, Bowie Points FISH Land Sharks Suckers Sandbaggers SOUPS Ox-trail Consommé Greenhorn MEATS Line Stakes, with Poker Chips Jack-Pot Pie Sliced Chops Spare Ribs Chicken Hearts ENTREES Brass Knuckles Hot Bullets Hard Nerve DESSERT Slungshot Pie Winchester Puffs Cheese-Nuts Tea and Coffins Blood Pudding Powdered Balls Supper a la Polonius THREE A.M. “I Say, OFFSHUR, ISHN’T THAT HIGH-STOOP BROWN-STONE HOUSE MINE?” \ “Yes, MR. SAUNDERS, THAT'S YOUR HOUSE.” “WELL, I WISH WHEN IT (Arc) COMES THISH Way 'GAIN YOU'D sTop IT,” THE POINT OF HONOR. Teacher: ADAMS, DO YOU KNOW WHO MADE THAT NOISE? Adams (who is the guilty one): 1 KNOW, BUT I DO NOT LIKE TO TELL. Teacher: YOU ARE A GENTLEMAN, SIR.