Life, 1890-01-09 · page 11 of 18
Life — January 9, 1890 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 25 of Life Magazine: Three Humorous Pieces **"A Christmas Echo"** (top left): A two-panel comic strip showing a prisoner before a judge. The joke hinges on the prisoner receiving leniency after claiming he was wearing a necktie—a Christmas gift from his wife—when arrested for suspicious behavior. The judge, moved by this explanation of respectability, discharges him. The satire appears to mock both judicial sentimentality and the absurdity that a necktie alone signals good character. **"Easily Caught"** (middle): A brief exchange where Mrs. Fangle jokes that "Russian influenza" is contagious, and Fangle quips that even a detective could catch it—a pun playing on "catch" as both literal infection and detective work. **"His Sheff De Over"** (bottom): Mrs. Lakeside misidentifies Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" as "Dromio and Joliet," apparently confusing character names while praising its "fine passengers."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A CHRISTMAS ECHO. UDGE (¢o prisoner): You were seen by the officer, sir, dodging about the back streets and evidently trying to avoid meeting any one. You were therefore arrested by said officer on the charge of being a suspicious character. But, be that as it may, as you appear to be a respectable person, I will discharge you from the custody of the court if you can give a satisfactory reason for your suspicious actions when arrested. PRISONER (6rokenly): 1—I—was wearing, Your Honor, for the first time, a necktie, a Christmas—present—from— my—wife, and I was afraid to m-meet any— JUDGE (promptly and decisively, but visibly affected): The prisoner has the sincere sympathy of the court and is honorably discharged. EASILY CAUGHT. RS. FANGLE: This Russian influenza is very con- tagious, is it not ? FANGLE: Yes; even a detective could catch it. HIS SHEFF DE OVER. s¢ wert is your favorite Shakespearean play, Mrs. Lakeside?” “Well, I dunno as I know. I think ‘ Dromio and Joliet’ has some very fine passengers in it.” THE ESSENTIAL. “YOUR ENGAGEMENT RING! FROM WHOM?” “On, Tirrany.” comicbooks.com