Life, 1889-10-03 · page 12 of 18
Life — October 3, 1889 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, Page 194: Content Analysis This page contains several satirical pieces typical of early Life magazine humor: **"A Friend"** mocks predatory lending. Dashaway borrowed money at punishing interest rates—paying $10 quarterly for use—and has already repaid nearly the principal amount while still owing the original sum. Cleverton's deadpan response highlights the absurdity: if this is how friends treat you, you're lucky the lender wasn't merely an acquaintance. **"Pictorial Shakespeare"** illustrates a scene from *Measure for Measure* showing a feast/banquet, with a caption about impiety. **"Old Mr. Dewlipp"** (top right cartoon) jokes about experimental electrocution: Dewlipp kills a pig electrically and sends it to Professor Schweinurt, who accidentally completes an electrical circuit when thanking him—because his tooth has a zinc filling, electrocuting him. **"A Question"** is romantic verse satirizing women's contradictory feelings: the speaker doubts her suitor's sincerity yet feels devastated when he leaves, questioning whether his kiss was genuinely special or routine. Minor pieces satirize religious hypocrisy and hasty divorce in Chicago.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
194 A FRIEND. ASHAWAY: Here is another letter from a friend of mine asking for the quarterly payment on that one hundred and fifty I owe him. I have paid him one hundred and twenty already in the last three years on that same loan. CLEVERTON: Why, how is that? DasHaway: You see, when I borrowed that money I was fearfully hard up and had to have it. He said he would gladly accommodate me if I would pay him $to every three months for the use of the money. I have been doing so ever since, and I figured up the other day that the pay- ments I had made amounted to nearly the sum I borrowed. Besides, I still owe it. CLEVERTON: You say this man is a friend of yours? DaASHAWAY: Oh, yes, CLEVERTON: Then I should think that you would be glad that you didn’t borrow the money of a mere acquaint- ance, £€ 7 WOULD have you remember, brethren,” continued the preacher, “the same master hand that contrived the celestial system fashioned the least of earthly atoms as well; the superb architect of the mountains arranged the minute threads of gold within them; and remember, friends, the God who made me made a daisy.” A’ a Fifth Avenue church the minister read the prayers for persons in affliction. One of our newly made bride- grooms got up and went out. He said he did not want public sympathy obtruded on him in that way. PICTORIAL SHAKESPEARE. ‘IMPIETY HAS MADE A FEAST OF THEE.” Measure for Measure, Act I. Scene Il, *~LIFE-: Otp Mr. DEWLIPP BELIEVES IN KILLING BY ELECTRICITY, LAST WEEK HE SLAUGHTERED A FINE PIG AND SENT ONE: OF IT TO PROFESSOR SCHWEINURT. AND THE PROFESSOR, CALLING TO THANK Mr. D, FOR THE PRESENT, FORGOT THAT HE HAD A TOOTH FILLED WITH ZINC, AND HE COMPLETED AN ELECTRIC CURRFNT, A QUESTION. (IN CONFIDENCE.) PHYLLIS (Loguitur.) E walked and talked together on the sandy, sunlit shore, We danced upon the broad piazza’s polished oaken floor ; He paid me tender compliments in number not a few— But then, of course, that's just what any other man would do. Believe his words I could not, and, of course, I didn't care, But when he said ‘' good-bye,” my world grew suddenly less fair, And then he, bending, pressed my hand and, listen—kissed it, too, Now tell me, do you think that's just what any man would do? EH. NFORMATION got by galloping through a multitude of books is about as nourishing as the mustard scraped off a sandwich. It may make your tongue “smart,” but it won't make you strong. HICAGO recently ground out a divorce in ten minutes. This should make it a good place for the World's Fair—such of them as are discontented with their husbands. comicbooks.com