Life, 1889-08-22 · page 12 of 16
Life — August 22, 1889 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 110 This page contains three satirical pieces: **Main article:** Criticizes efforts to establish American gambling resorts (Monte Carlo-style casinos at Saratoga and Long Branch). The satire targets the hypocrisy: gamblers want to suppress games of chance at casinos while the Stock Exchange—where "there is no chance at all for the outsider"—operates freely. The complaint is that losing gamblers occasionally appeal to authorities, disrupting the con. **"Pictorial Shakespeare":** A humorous visual comparing a Shakespeare quote about sickness and busyness to a beach scene. Celia confidently swims alone while Phyllis attracts male attention offering swimming assistance—illustrating the contrast between independent skill and performing femininity for male approval. **"General Average" (bottom cartoon):** A married couple joke. The husband's sunburned nose (from hat-wearing) prompts a discussion of measurement and proportion—a mild double entendre about the wife's observation of his physical features being "high below" and "low above." The overall tone is typical late-19th-century American satirical humor targeting social pretension and gender dynamics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
110 ‘LIFE: HE efforts of those patriots and philanthropists who wish to estab- lish an American Monte Carlo, and thereby put this country, in one respect at least, on an equal footing with effete Europe, do not meet with all the encouragement those gentlemen could desire. At Saratoga, by properly subsidizing the natives of the place, they have had things pretty much their own way, but the thorn is now entering their side in the person of a New York stock-broker who has an office in one of the hotels. He insists that in the games of faro and roulette there is an element of chance and that the gambling should be suppressed. If people will gamble it should be on the Stock Exchange, where there is no chance at all for the outsider. At Long Branch the sensitive-fingered gentry also have the local authorities under obligations to them, but here they are annoyed by an occasional cus- tomer who loses his money and then ungal- lantly tries to have the law of them, with a view to making the victors return the spoils. There is an adage to the effect that ‘tis music to the gambler’s ear to hear his victims com- plain, but the Long Branch gamblers are having a surfeit of that kind of music. Gambling will never be suppressed at Saratoga and Long Branch until a less interested opposition is brought against it. Mfrs. Goldberger : Goov GRACIOUS, MARK! How vas IT YOUR Nosk GOT 80 SUNBURNT? PICTORIAL SHAKESPEARE. ZouNvs! HOW NAS HE THE LEISURE TO BE SICK IN SUCH A JUSTLING TIME?—Senry JV. Act 1, Scene /1. BY THE BEACH. HEN graceful forms and angles queer In bathing suits infest the mere, Celia and Phyllis, dainty elves, Amid the rest disport themselves. But of her skill in swimming proud, Now Celia leaves the timid crowd, Such skill’ as her's scorns proffered aid, And none molest the daring maid. Not so with Phyllis—standing here, A charming type of laughing fear, About her all the gallants press, To balk the waves’ too rude caress, To teach her how to swim, to dive— No ball-room belle could better thrive. So Celia sulks, of swimming tired; And Phyllis thinks of one inspired, Who must have meant a time like this When joining “ignorance” and * bliss.” GENERAL AVERAGE, Mr, Goldberger: 1 DON'T KNOW MY LOVE. I'VE HAD MY HAT ON ALL DER MORNING. He: Dox'tT YOU THINK IT IS A LITTLE HIGH BELOW? She; Yes, DEAR, BUT YO" SEE IT IS VERY LOW ABOVE, comicbooks.com