Life, 1890-01-16 · page 11 of 14
Life — January 16, 1890 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 39 This page contains theatrical reviews and satirical illustrations from Life magazine's arts section. **"The Veteran"** satirizes retired military men who abandoned swords for writing, now producing poorly written work—a jab at former soldiers trying literary careers. **"Fall Clothing"** is a humorous fashion note about autumn leaves. **The illustrated cartoons** by artists labeled B.D.L. and C. Lederer depict everyday urban comedy: "La Grippe" shows illness-related pratfalls, while "A Howling Swell" mocks an overdressed, fashionable man slipping on ice—targeting the pretentious wealthy. **"The Turn of the Wheel"** presents a street-car dialogue about fortune changing, using working-class optimism as gentle comedy. The page blends theatrical criticism with social satire aimed at the upper classes and cultural pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A GREAT LIGHT DAWNS UPON TOMMY. Tommy: Pa, OLD Miss YELLOWBY HAS JUST BEEN HERE AND BROUGHT YOU A CHRISTMAS PRESENT—ANOTHER PAIR OF SLIPPERS, THAT'S THE FOURTH PAIR YOU'VE. GOTTEN. WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS GIVE PREACHERS SLIPPERS AND NOTHING ELSE, Pa? The Rector; BECAUSE PREACHERS’ SONS ARE SAID TO BE WORSE THAN THOSE OF ANYBODY ELSE, ToMMY, to conceal or destroy a large part of it, but a perusal of the libretto in advance will enable the untutored American to couple book and music together so as to derive some idea of Mr. Gilbert's good intentions. That part of it which satirizes the craze for joint-stock companies, now prevalent in England, and the part played in it by titled people will hardly appeal to American audiences as it does to the English. Nevertheless, the idea of a Duke organizing himself into a limited liability company to pay dividends on himself out of what he receives for his services as an attendant at dinners, cornerstone layings, funerals, and similar functions, when once grasped, is very funny. The costuming and mounting of the piece are very good. The Venetian Piazetta, done over to meet stage requirements, and with the two great columns as picturesque accessories, forms a very effective background for graceful groupings. The chorus, however, could not send upa single successful candidate for a civil-service examination in good looks. Leaving aside their evident intention to work the American market for all it is worth, Messrs. Gilbert and Sullivan are entitled to American gratitude for giving us another means of enjoyment. Metcalfe. THE TURN OF THE WHEEL. IRST TRAMP (enxcouragingly) : Cheer up, ol’ fel. We're down now, but you dunno how soon we may be on top. It's only the turn of the wheel. SECOND TRAMP (gloomily) : It must be a blame big wheel or else it turns mighty slow. os HER a seat,” said a lady in a street car to another who was hanging to a strap, as a man got up and jumped off, “Thanks!” she replied, sweetly. ‘But some other man might like to sit down.” THE VETERAN. 39 E used his sword right nobly when His country needed, but, alas! War over, left it for the pen, And now is written down an ass, DVICE to those about to read Punch—Don't. Fatt CLoTHinGc—Fig leaves. c Cocletes : “A How.ino Swett,” comicbooks.com