Life, 1889-10-17 · page 5 of 18
Life — October 17, 1889 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 215 **"To a Black Eye"** (top): A poem by J. Edmund V. Cooke addressing someone with a black eye, praising their character and virtue despite their injury. The accompanying illustration shows a man with a blackened eye—likely satirizing how minor physical flaws don't diminish one's worth. **"The Brains Didn't Count"** (middle): A dialogue joke where Jiggs and Biggs are business partners. Biggs contributed money while Jiggs contributed "experience and brains." When asked if they're equal partners, Biggs says yes—the humor being that Jiggs's intellectual contribution is worthless compared to capital investment. **Bottom cartoon**: Satirizes female ignorance about mushrooms—a woman confidently selects mushrooms for dinner claiming expertise, but "didn't" actually know them, risking poisoning.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ABSENCE OF LOCAL COLOR, Mr, Griddle (of Philadelphia, communicating with the spirit o Ais late wife): HOW DO YOU LIKE IT UP THERE, MY DEAR? The Late Mrs, Griddle: HEAVEN 18 A NICE PLACE, WILLIAM, BUT IT ISN'T WANAMAKER 8. SNE HAS JUST PICKED A NICE BASKET OF MUSH- ROOMS FOR DINNER, SHE SAYS SHE KNOWS ALL ABOUT THES. TO A BLACK EYE. IMMERIAN optic! How thou hast possessed Thy little world’s attent. When thou wert fair And like thy fellow, void of vicious air, None with thy character seemed much impressed ; Now, in thy purple and fine linen dressed, E’en modest maidens, passing, at thee stare, Although they never met thee otherwhere, In former days, unstained, wert thou so blest? Ah! Virtue’s even course runs on for aye And no one marks it. Good is reckoned ni? So runs the world. Said any yesterday, “Thy dexter optic! Lo! How free from ill!” Yet now, meseems, the very asses bray And o'er thy blackened woe hee-haw their fill. J. Edmund V. Cooke, THE BRAINS DIDN'T COUNT. IGGS: I hear that you have started in business with J Boggs. Biccs: Yes, We are equal partners—he puts in the money and I put in the experience and brains. Jiccs: You put in the experience and brains ? Bias: Yes, Jices: And you are equal partners ? Biccs: Yes. Jiccs: What an immense amount of experience you must have had, Biggs. . ANT you stay a little while longer ? asked the criminal as his kind friend was about to leave. “No, Bob, I haven't time to-day.” “Well,” said Bob, “Take some of mine, I've got ten years more than I want here, BUT SHE DIDN'T, comicbooks.com