Life, 1889-06-20 · page 10 of 18
Life — June 20, 1889 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 362 This page contains three distinct pieces of humor: **"The Spanish Lesson"** (top): A domestic comedy where a man attempts to learn Spanish from his girlfriend Nina, who repeatedly corrects his grammar while he makes crude jokes. The humor derives from the man's malapropisms and flirtation undermining any serious language study. **"Fangle/Cumso" exchange**: A brief joke about baseball—likely referencing contemporary New York teams (Bostons vs. New Yorks), with humor in the confused contradiction. **"Another Mystery"** and **"Expert Testimony"**: These mock issues with New York Post Office mail delivery and a conversation between a nanny and caller about disciplining children with hair-brushes. The satire targets bureaucratic incompetence and parenting practices of the era. The cartoons employ sketch illustrations typical of early 20th-century *Life* magazine's satirical style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
362 - LIFE: THE SPANISH LESSON. W AL, I'm yer fur to take my teachin'— Lay down, Nina, thet soft guitar: Got to Varn Spanish, shore ez preacl "Vamos!" 1 show you that verb amar. “Amo, | love"—Thet's right 'n’ proper! ** Amas, thou lovest "—Yo" bet I do! 1a, he loves"—Hold on! I copper! He gits sore bones ef he dast love you / Who és this ‘Ai thet makes so free now, Tryin’ to jump my Sweetheart Claim? Oncet I ketch him coyotein’ me, now, Yo" hear me twitter, A/ud"s his nam Dad my buttons ef I don’t hammer— Hey? Yo're latin Wot kin it be? “Hain't no Aim? Et's the Spanish grammar?” Wal, now, Nina, thet’s one on me / Charles F. Lummis, ANGLE: I sce that the New Yorks played with the Boston Club y y. Cumso: No, they didn’t, ‘The Bostons played with the New Yorks! “DON'T YOU KNOW ANY RETTER, JONNNIE, THAN TO USE MY ¢, BEST FRINGE TOWELS?” eat “No, THEY AIN'T EITHER, [TOOK THE FRINGE OFF. A LITERARY NOTE. p, . at - Mr. Casty’s axticie A Licnt- é ED ClGaK,” LATELY cONTRINUTED / } ANOTHER MYSTERY. hed alc ee ted etch a ans i A inprecedented number of complaints from subscribers oa cuciourel a crue aivenser have been pouring into the offices of many periodicals ED HEIGHTS IN THE LIFERARY during the last few months caused by the non-delivery of WORLD. ° their journals. Now, this is very mysterious. The fault is evidently with the New York Post Office, improbable as it may seem. Mr, Pearson, who was removed by Wanamaker X Co., was, to be sure, an expert, and had a thorough mastery of the system; but, on the other hand, Mr. Van Cott, who was put in his place, also by Wanamaker & Co., is not only one of the “ Boys,” but is a staunch Tammany man. It is all very mysterious and difficult to understand. EXPERT TESTIMONY. ] ITTLE NAN, of four summers, considering it her duty + toentertain a lady who is waiting for mamma, enters into converss NAN: Have ot any little girls ? Tue CALLER: Yes, | have two, Nan: D-do you ever have to whip ‘em? Tite CaLcer: I'm afraid [ have to, sometimes. Nan: What do you whip ‘em with? THE CALLER (amused): Oh, when they've been very naughty, I take my slipper. NAN (most feelingly, as mame enters) VY -yo-you ought to use a hair-brush; my mamma does. and it hurts awfully MWR ONE P.M. in New York—Van Cc comicbooks.com