Life, 1889-11-14 · page 3 of 16
Life — November 14, 1889 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This LIFE magazine page (Volume XIV, Number 359) contains social gossip and satirical commentary typical of the publication's "Among the 400" society column. The top text mocks the Llawson Spencers, an old-money New York family, for moving to a new house and their pretentious social positioning. The column includes brief anecdotes about society figures—Mrs. Downrg Swann nearly fainting and Mr. W. Hammerdown Brent swallowing his cane head—presented as humorous social notes. The cartoon below shows two gentlemen in top hats. The accompanying dialogue jokes about one man's death ("old Mithomer has died at last") and mockingly dismisses the other as merely his physician rather than a friend—satirizing superficial society relationships. The maritime illustration depicts a ship in rough seas with dialogue about cyclones and record-smashing, likely a humorous maritime anecdote.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XIV. : LI FE 7 | ay AMONG THE 400. THE Llawson Spencers will sodn occupy their new house ($120,000) in Fifty-seventh Street. The Lawson Spencers, as most of our readers know, are members of one of New York's most ancient families, having disported themselves in affluence since 1690. Also have they borne arms upon their car- riage door for two generations. The Llawson Spencers are naturally somewhat annoyed at the report recently circulated that Herbert Spencer, of England, is a relative of theirs. ‘This man Spencer puts on very little style, displays no coat of arms, and knows nothing of New York fashionable society. The mis- chievous person who originated this calumny should be made an example. Mrs. Downyng Swann, a daughter-in-law of Midas Bond ($12,000,000), came very near getting her fect wet last Wednesday. Mr. W. Hammerdown Brent, a/i2s Wm. H. Brent, swallowed the head of his cane on Monday. Quite a flurry was created in the Union Club last Friday by Mr. G. Whympson Latrobe asserting that the members of that club were a ‘set of useless old scandal- mongers." Mr. Brynkerly Gaul retaliated by saying that the Knickerbocker Club was composed of ‘brainless tailors’ dummies." Reporters from the leading New York dailies have Leen interviewing the two gentlemen, and it is to be hoped that ample details of the affair will be published. BA NSS “Wett, I SEE OLD MITHOMER HAS DIED AT LAST.” “YES; IT WAS A SAD Loss TO ME.” ‘I bipN'T KNow You WERE A FRIEND OF HIS.” + No; I was its puysictan.” 'M-AN OCEAN GREYHOUND,” SAID THE STEAMER, ‘AND T AM A RECORD SMASHER.” “ARE YOU, INDEED!” WHISTLED THE CYCLONE, ‘“‘WELL, | AM SOMETHING OF A SMASHER MYSELF.” AND THE GRE’ iN THREE DAYS LATE WITH MOST OF HER RIGGING GON!