Life, 1889-08-15 · page 10 of 16
Life — August 15, 1889 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 94: Social Satire This page contains several humor pieces targeting early 20th-century social conventions: **"Summer Wisdom"** mocks wealthy men's seasonal behavior—their mistresses replace their wives during summer, while they send their wives to sulfur springs (a health resort), supposedly for medicinal reasons. **"Heroine for a Novel"** presents a conversation where Mr. Knowells asks Mrs. Bright to suggest a female character for his novel. She refuses because the woman has "no characteristics"—a joke about her being vapid and generic. **"A Bird in the Hand"** and the bottom dialogue mock class pretension and social climbing, with characters discussing marriage motivations and identity deceptions. The cartoons use ink sketches depicting period clothing and domestic/social settings to satirize marriage, wealth, and class aspirations among early 20th-century Americans.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SUMMER WISDOM. N these days when old Sol his long poker brings, And the doors of his furnace unlatches, Of his purse the fond sire will loosen the strings, While his flock to cool spots he dispatches. The process quite dry his exchequer oft wrings, But he wishes his girls to make catches, So sends them—if wise—to the White Sulphur Springs, For you know they use sulphur for matches. HEROINE FOR A NOVEL.” RS. BRIGHT: Oh, Mr. Kowells, I know a young woman whom I am sure you would put into one of your novels if you should meet her, Shall I introduce you. Mr. KOWELLS (great American novelist): A thousand thanks, yes. What are her characteristics? Mrs. BRIGHT: Characteristics? Why, she hasn't any. “1 MARRIED FOR LOVE, Dick, AND I'VE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH of IT! WHat pip You MARRY FoR?” “WELL, YE SEE, I'M AN ARTIST; I MARRIED JENNY FOR HER FIGURE.” ' THAT'S ONLY NATURAL.” “No, BY GEORGE, "TWASN'T NATURAL! MOSTLY ART.” “WHAT ARE YOU DIGGING, DEAR?” ‘I'm GOIN’ TO PLANT MASHED POTATOES. THAN THE OTHER SORT." 1 LIKE 'EM BETTER A BIRD IN THE HAND. ‘GPLOMON RUBENSTEIN (tn deep distress): 1 expect, fader, ve vas better sent for some ohf dose Elixir ohf Live, ain't it? JACOB RUBENSTEIN (very /ow): Vat vos you dinkin’ ohf, Solomon? Did you vants me to loss mine insurances? OULDY-LOOKING INDIVIDUAL (¢o London police officer): Yes, sir, I've decided to give myself up. I'm Jack the Ripper, and I —— POLIce OFFICER: Sorry, but we can’t accommodate you, as we are overcrowded. There are seven more “ Jack the Rippers” downstairs, and you'll have to roost somewhere else to-night. . . EV. PRIMROSE: The tide waits for no man, my young friend. MERRITT: So they say. Still, when one lies down on the sands, it seems to wait till he’s asleep, comicbooks.com