Life, 1889-06-06 · page 7 of 20
Life — June 6, 1889 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 331 The top cartoon depicts a social scene with three figures examining flowers. Mr. Jonathan Trump compliments the scene to Miss Penelope Peachblow, who notes that "Mr. Brown just told me the same thing." Trump responds indignantly that Brown couldn't have meant it sincerely. This appears to be satirizing superficial social flattery and vanity—the humor lies in Trump's offense that his compliment isn't original, suggesting his self-regard expects uniqueness in praise. The satire targets shallow upper-class social conventions where identical compliments are mechanically exchanged. Below, "A Stair Unseen" is a romantic poem by H.E. Miltholen about secret lovers meeting away from public view. The accompanying illustrations are unrelated sketches labeled "Dun in Color" and "To Be, or Not to Be?"—likely different editorial content rather than commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
i, Mr, Jonathan Trump: YOU ARE CHARMING TO-NIGHT. Miss Penelope Peachblow: INDEED? WHAT NICE THINGS YOU MEN SAY! MR. BROWN JUST TOLD ME THE SAME THING. Mr. Jonathan Trump (anxious to depreciate his rival): OF COURSE YOU DON'T BELIEVE HE MEANT IT! A STAIR UNSEEN. STAIR unseen, while far below The dancers circle to and fro; Those myriad charms of beauties bright, The waltz, the music, I could quite For these few moments, love, forego. ’Tis quite deserted, none will know The slight ‘caress that I bestow, So far removed from prying sight, A stair unseen. But as I whisper words quite low, What noise floats down? It is, oh, woe! The sounds, suppressed, of laughter light, And tread of feet in hurried flight. They have enjoyed, as these sounds show, A stare unseen. “DUN IN COLOR.” A. E. Millholen. “TO BE, OR NOT