Life, 1889-07-25 · page 12 of 16
Life — July 25, 1889 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 54 Analysis This page contains three satirical pieces typical of 1880s-90s American humor: **"Disadvantages of Christianity"** mocks a boy named Bobby who claims his Christian peer Willie Waffles is weak—every boy half his age can beat him up. The joke: Christianity produces moral virtue but physical weakness, undermining its social value. **"A Parting"** is a romantic poem about a young couple saying goodbye under the moon, with a pun: the separation occurs in "the middle of the young man's golden hair"—suggesting premature baldness rather than heartbreak. **The Russell Harrison section** satirizes potential royal matchmaking between Queen Victoria and President Benjamin Harrison's son. The text expresses American indignation at the prospect of a Harrison marrying into the "effete" British royal family, suggesting even a minor official like Corporal Tanner would be preferable. **Bottom cartoons**: One depicts a publisher and patent medicine dealer cynically discussing how dangerous medicines still profit because newspapers need their advertising revenue. The other shows a man buying an oversized suit to wear on a sea voyage, planning to fit into it upon his return—dark humor about weight loss or mortality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LAM MYSELF INDIFFERENTLY HONEST.” Hamlet, DISADVANTAGES OF CHRISTIANITY. = 7 Auntie: 1 SUPPOSE YOU ARE A GOOD LITTLE CHRISTIAN Boy, Bossy, OF “T°HE PUBLISHER: Don't you think y (dudiously); Wett, 1 pox’ KNow, WILLIE WAFFLES IS a CHRISTIAN these patent medicines kill many people? BOY AND I WOULDN'T LIKE To BE LIKE HIM, THE DEALER: Perhaps they do, but look Auntie: WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH WILLIE? at all the newspapers they keep alive. Bobby: EVERY BOY HALF HIS AGE IN SCHOOL CAN LICK HIM, a A PARTING. Na very moving ¢<¢e-a-tcte the summer moon looked down— A Poole-clad youth, a maiden in a stunning Redfern gown ; And the cold moon saw a parting. Grieve not, sentimental fair, It was only in the middle of the young man’s golden hair. F Mr. Russell Harrison were not already a married man we should suspect Queen Victoria of ulterior motives in inviting him to her house to dinner. An elderly lady of match-making proclivities and with twenty- three marriageable grand-daughters isn’t inviting the Prince Imperial of the United States to dinner for nothing, and we still suspect that she is counting on the possibilities of Mr. Russell Harrison becoming a widower, or is antici- pating the time when Baby McKee shall become of nubile age. It might as well be understood, though, right here and now, that the people of the United States will not put up with any such nonsense. We are not going to let any ~ of our precious Harrisons be married to one of the members of an effete royal family like Victoria's so long as Parliament maintains its present parsimon- ious attitude with regard to matrimonial provisions. Perish the thought! Sooner shall every member of the Harrison family, even to the fourteenth and fifteenth generation thereof, counting both ways from Ben, be provided with a fat post-office or pension agency. If Victoria is really looking for a grand son-in-law we might possibly spare Corporal Tanner, but a Harrison McK ' “WHY, BLINKINS, THAT SUIT LOOKS AS IF IT or McKee—never! WAS MADE FOR A MAN HALF YOUR SIZE.” . ‘ “Yes, I KNow, BUT I aM GOING TO A SEA- \ J OU can never get into the good graces of a young woman by watching gine norer TO-MORROW FOR A WEEK AND I her get out of a hammock. WANT IT 7 FIT ME WHEN I COME HOME.” comicbooks.com