Life, 1889-09-12 · page 10 of 16
Life — September 12, 1889 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 150 This page contains two distinct pieces: a patriotic poem titled "America" (addressed to Dr. Smith regarding Centennial affairs) celebrating Irish-American identity and "native" Irish values, and a satirical article called "They Differed" about temperance advocacy. The left illustrations depict children climbing a wall in various poses. The right illustrations show similar climbing scenes, apparently demonstrating the consequences of drink versus abstinence—a visual argument for temperance. The main satire: a temperance orator claims drinking ruins the world, but a pale, emaciated young man interrupts, observing that abstinence also fails to guarantee success. He sardonically suggests drinking is "the surest way of getting one," then ironically proves the point by visiting a corner grocery and smiling—implying even sobriety offers little hope. The overall message satirizes absolutist temperance claims through dark humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
150 THE BULLY AND THE GREEN APPLES. A STORY OF REVENGE. — - LIFE: AMERICA, (Seeing Dr. Smith and, going him several better in the matter of Centennial stanzas.) Y country—that’s if I May use the pronoun Of what’s not mine— Land where my fathers died (To make more room inside For aliens to ride Upon my spine !) my” My ‘‘native” country, thee— Where Clan-na-Gaels are free And boycotts thrive— I love thy stocks and bills, Thy Goulds and D. B. Hills; My heart its rapture spills In blocks of five. Our Country's God, to thee, Oh, thou Almighty D., To the we ging. Long may our flag be green, Our patriots unseen, And our Four Hundred mean Great Gold Our King. Chas. F. Lummis. THEY DIFFERED. os ES,” said the temperance ora- tor, solemnly, “drink will be the ruin of the world. Liquor is what paralyzes industry, dwarfs ambition, and retards progress. I knew a young man richly endowed with intellect; a young man who had but to apply him- self in order to attain both honor and fame. But he became a slave of the demon rum and now he is languishing in a felon’s cell. tell you, gentlemen, that you cannot drink and get ahead.” A pale faced, emaciated young man arose in the back part of the hall, and remarked, “Excuse me, sir, but I think you are mistaken.” “How am I mistaken?” inquired the orator, somewhat testily. “In saying that one cannot drink and get a head. It always struck me of being the surest way of getting one.” Then the young man went over to the corner grocery and smiled. [= Brown-Sequard «wishes. to con- vince a doubting world, let him inject the mother-in-law joke. comicbooks.com