Life, 1889-08-15 · page 5 of 16
Life — August 15, 1889 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 89 Analysis: Life Magazine Satire **Top Cartoon - "Principle Teachism":** This depicts a social encounter where a well-dressed woman (Mrs. Plantagemet) meets another woman and introduces her to a third party. The satire mocks Victorian-era social hypocrisy: Mrs. Plantagemet claims she doesn't think they've met, yet acknowledges seeing the woman "last week at Mrs. Westerley's." The punchline criticizes how wealthy society women maintained false pretense about their social circles while obviously knowing each other—a commentary on aristocratic affectation and dishonesty. **Bottom Cartoons - "The City Cat in the Country":** Shows a cat encountering snakes in rural settings. The joke presents urban contrast: a city cat's naive reactions ("This quiet is refreshing," "A snake!," "Where is it?") humorously illustrate the culture shock of city dwellers encountering nature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Penelope Peachblow: HOW DO YOU DO, MRS. PLANTAGANET ? Mrs. Plantaganet: You MUST EXCUSE ME, BUT I DO NOT THINK WE HAVE EVER MET. Penelope Peachblow : YES; LAST WEEK AT MRS, WESTERLEY'S. Mrs. Plantaganet (with increasing coolness): YOU WAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF ME. Penelope Peackbdlow: 1 THINK I MAVE, MRS, PLANTAGANET, IN EYESIGHT, MEMORY, AND MANNERS. GOOD AFTERNOON, SHIPWRECKED BUT SAFE. THE CITY CAT IN THE COUNTRY. ACK TAR: We ain't so very fur from land, Jim! There's been a yacht along here lately. Jim: How do you know? Jack Tar: See all them cham- Pagne corks, HE: As the Vassar girl said to the West Point cadet. HE: What was that? _ SHE: it’s a long time between ice-creams, “THIS QUIET IS REFRESHING,” “A SNAKE!" “WHERE ts IT?”