Life, 1889-09-05 · page 15 of 16
Life — September 5, 1889 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a domestic comedy scene titled "The Man of the House: What's the Matter; Did You Pull the Bell?" A wife asks her husband why he didn't ring for a servant, and he responds that the servant forgot to bring the tools needed to break in—revealing the couple are burglars. The joke satirizes Victorian domestic hierarchies and class pretension. The "man of the house" is portrayed as incompetent and dependent on servants even for criminal enterprise. The cartoon mocks both upper-class reliance on domestic staff and the notion that a husband should be capable and authoritative. The irony lies in depicting burglars behaving like wealthy employers—treating crime as just another household task requiring proper equipment and assistance. The page is primarily advertising (Kodak cameras, pianos, jams, typewriters, perfume), typical of Life's mixed content format. The cartoon represents the satirical humor that distinguished the magazine from purely commercial publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
qe e@ e@ ee ce of! Kodak “Vou press the button, we do the vest. The only camera that Price, $25.00. anybody can use with- Loaded for too Pictures. out instruction. The For sale by all Photo. Stock Dealers. Send for copy of Kodak Primer with sam- ple photograph, LADIES’ TAILOR, 391 FIFTH AVENUE. Ladies visiting New York are cordially in- vited to inspect my NOVELTIES For the coming season. Samples forwarded on application. A Perfect Fit Guar- anteed without per- sonal fitting. EMERSON TONE TONE 45000) ‘geST WORK weny P1AN0 7BOCO ae IALS ai\ WwW SEND FOR CATALOGUE EMERSON PIANO CoBOSTONMAS Crosse & Blackwell's FRESH FRUIT JAMS, Made from English Fresh Fruits AND REFINED 8UCAR. ARE SOLD BY ALL GROCERS IN THE UNITED STATES. OUR CENTENNIAL EXHIBIT. The Man of the House: THE BEBL? Visitor : IN WIDOUT WAKIN' YER, Tee eulirest heweand abe mere money weft rs than at anything elseto the world. Either sex :all Tyoutt pune: Terme PEE: Address Tui EA CO, AugU “A Seast of clever drawings.” —V ave CouRAnt, FUN FROM “LIFE.” Somewhat similar in general plan to The Good Things of *Life,’"* but composed of smaller illustrations, devoted more to pure Fun, It is intended to publish a volume of “Fun from ‘Life’ each spring, and a volume of " Good Things from * Life’ ach fall. Oblong 8vo, boards, with novel and telling desiga io ink and gold, $1.00. "It is all pure, mirth-provoking, good-natured humor. «+ There isa laugh in every page.” —BaLtions SUN. At book-stores, or will be sent, tdvertised price. postpaid, on receipt of FREDERICK A. STOKES & BROTHER Or, MITCHELL & MILLER, NEW YORE. SG e Best In THe WorLo MaccacesdvE sence erat: 3G nanon, Wat's THE MATTER; DID YOU PULL SORRY TER DISTURB YER, PARD, BUT MY PAL FOR- GOT TER BRING ALONG DE JIMMY AN' KEYS, AN’ WE COULDN'T GIT SSS THE ONLY PRACTICAL Low-Pricep TYPEWRITER First-Class, Rapid, Durable, Bust WORLD TYPEWRITER, 44 charac- ters, $10; 77 characters, $15. Catalogue free. Typewriter Dept, POPE MFG. CO., Bouton, NewVork, Cbitago. Toiet powoeR & Soap NONE NICER eS cy Court of Sustict—Oomall v. Sa Se. comicbooks. com