Life, 1889-08-01 · page 12 of 16
Life — August 1, 1889 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "A Strange Case of Mistaken Identity" — Life Magazine This page contains three separate satirical pieces mocking middle-class hypocrisy and economic folly: **Top cartoon**: A priest uses the excuse of a "church conference" to cover for gambling (throwing dice for beer) in a saloon. The humor lies in the clergy's dubious morality masked by religious pretense. **Middle dialogue**: Two men discuss futile penny-pinching. One walks home nightly to save carfare, only to find his landlady Mrs. Pancake raised his board costs because his increased appetite (from the walks) requires more food. The satire: economic self-sabotage through misguided thrift. **Bottom notices**: Advertisements for a lost diamond and an electrical safety pun ("some people make light of it" regarding electricity dangers). The page satirizes how ordinary people convince themselves their schemes are sensible while achieving opposite results—a common Life magazine theme mocking American materialism and self-deception.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A STRANGE CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY. “YES MUM, YOUR HUSBUND'S IN THERE THROWING DICE FOR THE BEER with REVEREND FaTHER Mac Moriarty; I TOLD HIM YOU WANTED TO SEE HIM AN’ HE SAID FOR YOU TO GO HOME AN’ NOT RE BREAKIN’ UP A CHURCH CONFERENCE!” ACK BORROWIT: There's no use in trying to economize, Tom. The money is bound to go one way or another. WiIccINs: Why, what's the matter now? Jack BorrowiT: Why, I've been walking home every night for a month to save my car-fare, and now Mrs. Pancake has raised my board on account of increased appetite! LOST! IECE of ice, weight about six carats, unset. Liberal reward and No questions asked -upon return to New YORKER, LiFe OFFICE. LECTRIC- ITY is a mighty dangerous force, but some people make light of it. comicbooks.com