Life, 1890-01-02 · page 10 of 16
Life — January 2, 1890 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Life Magazine This page contains three satirical pieces: 1. **"Has It Come to This?"** - A poem with musical notation mocking social decline, showing a "cheeky chap" encountering hardship in city streets. 2. **"A Likely Story"** - A cartoon depicting a policeman confronting a boy with a dog about a stolen sausage. The humor lies in the boy's implausible excuse that "Sandy Claus put it in my stockin'!" 3. **"A Fragment"** - A dramatic dialogue between Mr. Shakespeare and Mr. Sheridan (likely the historical playwright), discussing England's prosperity and Shakespeare's experiences in America, including seeing his own play performed in New York. The satire appears to mock literary pretension and transatlantic cultural exchange. The page exemplifies *Life* magazine's characteristic blend of visual humor, social commentary, and literary satire targeting Victorian-era audiences.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A FRAGMENT. (Scene: Below, Time: 17,30 P.M.) R. SHAKESPEARE: Ah, ‘tis you, Mr. Sheridan. MR. SHERIDAN: So please you, Mr. Shakespeare. = My greetings! You bring with you a cooler air. Have % clade olde histor ye F Dance lle WG intye you been above to-night? MR. SHAKESPEARE: You touch it. From Live's Collection of Old Prints, Mr, SHERIDAN: And how is dear old England? = SS MR, SHAKESPEARE: Most fat and prosperous from all HAS IT COME TO THIS? accounts; but she and I have changed no courtesies to- CHEEKY chap in Paradise night. E e Now meets a chilling frown, Mr. SHERIDAN: Where then? He whistled through the golden streets— Mr. SHAKESPEARE: To the other continent—America. Mr. SHERIDAN: America! Zounds! And what af- finity is there betwixt the Bard of Avon and the Iroquois? MR. SHAKESPEARE: The Iroquois, forsooth! Good Mr. Sheridan, your pace with History hath a backward step. Crow t The wench hath left you in the rear. Your brain hath mould on't. Know you not that since you and I were buried the world hath turned him on his bed and tumbled to the west- ward? Mr. SHERIDAN: ‘Tis true; I forgot. But let us sit and wet our throats. MR. SHAKESPEARE: With pleasure. Curtis Hall. & Mr. SHERIDAN: And what saw you in America? A LIKELY STORY. i MR. SHAKESPEARE: A play, a thing of my own, at Mas- Policeman: SAV, wOY, WHERE DID YoU GET THAT DOG? | ter Daly’s Theatre, in New York, Boy: Saxty CLAUS PUT IT IN MY sTOCKIN'! s 4 MR. SHERIDAN: Ah, yes; I remember now. This same comicbooks.com