Life, 1889-07-25 · page 7 of 16
Life — July 25, 1889 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "An Inexpensive Enjoyment" This cartoon depicts a child looking at an ice cream shop window displaying a sign reading "ICE CREAM ALL FLAVORS." The child appears poor or undernourished, gazing longingly at the shop. The caption—"I declare it seems to cool my stumnick just to sit here and look at the sign"—presents dark humor about economic hardship. The joke's bitterness lies in its irony: the child cannot afford ice cream, so merely *looking* at the sign provides imaginary relief from hunger. This reflects early 20th-century American poverty and the desperation of those who could only afford window-shopping rather than actual purchases. The "inexpensive enjoyment" is free—looking—because buying is impossible.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEW LINCOLN BIOGRAPHY, AND A VALUABLE DICTIONARY. “THe newest biography of Lincoln has just been published in three handy volumes of about 200 pages each (Belford). The author is William H. Herndon, who was for twenty years the law partner and friend of Lincoln. He was assisted in the collection of material, and in’composition, by J. W. Weik. Mr. Herndon began the book more than twenty years ago, and it was evidently with him a work of love. He has endeavored to represent the man as he appeared in the intimate associations of business life. The result is a rugged picture, lacking the finish of expert work, but very interesting and suggestive. It is above everything a collection of vivid personal recol- lections, filled with anecdotes which have never appeared in print. The story of the boyhood of Lincoln is related with great detail from the recollections of those who knew him then. Perhaps the most interesting portion of the work is this vivid picture of pioneer life with the ungainly, yet strangely attractive Lincoln as its central figure. It might have been better to spare the reader some of the coarseness of these early days, but it must be admitted that even this adds to the effectiveness of the biography. Mr. Herndon does not write as a hero-worshiper, but as a judicial man who knew his friend's faults and thought the more of his virtues. It adds to the greatness of Lincoln to find that his character can not only stand this intimate scrutiny, but appear under it to an advantage. The more illusions about him that are swept away, the clearer the view of his inherent worth, his sincerity and his force. . . . HE first volume of “ The Century Dictionary " (Century Co.), which has just appeared after long years of Preparation, is a delight to the eye and, no doubt, a great addition to the implements of scholarship, The typography is clear, consistent and attractive; the arrangement facili- tates research, and the illustrations add very much. to the value of the definitions. This first volume is a quarto of 1200 pages, most tastefully bound in embossed leather. The completed work will be in six volumes. A notable feature of the work is the abundant use of quotations from modern American writers to illustrate the usage of words. Among those referred to are Lowell, Holmes, Stedman, Stoddard, Bancroft, John Fiske, Cable, Henry James, Howells, Charles Dudley Warner, D. G. Mitchell, and Charles Eliot Norton. ‘“ Americanisms" are given a place among the words defined, and all things American are treated fully and carefully. It is, therefore, an important record of our national development in the art of expression, Droch, AN INEXPENSIVE ENJOYMENT. “I DECLARE IT SEEMS TO COOL MY STUMMICK JUST TO SIT HERE AND LOOK AT THE SIGN.” NEW BOOKS CERHER W. OR, LET HER SOAK. New York: G, Dillingham, His Wife, or His Widow. By Marie Walsh. lingham, Deborah Death, A Novel. _ Kenny's Guide. For Railroads, Steamboats, ete. Kenny, Publish ‘A Heart Twice Won: or, Second Love. Philadelphia; T. B, Peterson & Bros. The Century Dictionary. An Excuciorenic Lexicon or 718 Excuisi Lancuace. fa six volumes. —Cono. Edited by William Dwight Whitney, Ph.D., LI-D. New Vork: The Ceatury Co. A Crooked Path, Leisure Hour Series. By Mrs. Alexander. Heary Holt & Co. Three Days. J.B. Lippincott C Blots and Blemithes, By a Lady of Louisiana, New York: G. W. Dil- New York: G. W. Dilhngham, New York: F. H. By Mrs, Elizabeth Van Loon, New York : Nustrated. By Samuel Williams*Cooper. Philadelphia: New York: Scribner & Welford, QUALIFIED. ELLO, Lamb, are you still striking it rich in Wall Street?" “No; in fact I lost all I had there!” “I'm sorry for that. What are you doing now?” “Just now I'm writing ‘Tips for Speculators’ daily press.” “cc for the ERR VOGNEER: Mein Gott, but I vas all proke up! Vatched mit a corpse last nighd. GILLIGAN: Wuz it a wake? HERR VOGNEER: Nein, you Irish shump; id vas dead. A lists are as good fish in the sea as ever were caught, but they know better. nomicbooks: com