Life, 1890-01-23 · page 12 of 18
Life — January 23, 1890 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Life Magazine Satirical Content This page contains two distinct satirical pieces: **"The Diary" (top):** A mock-romantic narrative mocking pretentious young artists. The unnamed female narrator—illustrated as an attractive woman—chronicles her theatrical emotional life: romantic obsession, artistic pretensions (painting a "horizon"), and melodramatic declarations of dying in "blue satin." The satire targets overly sentimental, self-absorbed bohemian artists and their affected sensibilities. **"Unquestionably Teutonic" (bottom):** A census taker interrogates an Irish immigrant who initially denies being Irish, then claims to be German—yet reveals his obviously Irish name "McCarthy." The joke satirizes Irish-Americans' attempts to conceal or deny their ethnicity, possibly during a period of anti-Irish prejudice. The misspelled dialect ("Oi'm," "foine") reinforces ethnic caricature stereotyping common in early 20th-century American humor. Both pieces mock their subjects through exaggeration and contradiction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
54 All this took place under the cellar stairs by the inadequate light of the cold-air box. July.—I have sent X. from me. T have never loved him, I want to see him—oh, how I want to see him! Oh, misericorde! 1 am a skeleton—inside. Outside, Tama Venus. Did you ever see a Venus? Isn't it nice? 1 am going to confession now, but 1 will not mention X, or perhaps - they will not let me have any more kisses on my lily-white hands. I assure you it is only my hands that he kisses so much. For a little young thing I am do- ing pretty well. August.—1 am all art. I have been all art all day. I painted today. Sapristi!, How I did paint! My master came and asked who did it. “1, monsieur.” “Alone?” “TL with my brush," “Stick to it, You have paint- ed a horizon,” Aborizon! Does it exceed my wildest hopes, or does it only realize them? I am crazy until I know. To paint a line—a ho- rizon line at that!) What does it mean? I donot knowthe word; = —— ——= it may mean—hideous thought! Oh, why cannot I die? My next effort shall be a clothesline ; the horizon is all mine at a first attempt. September.—1 have gone back to my first love. I have seen him again across the street. I could never marry a man unless he were a complete dude—and this one is perfection. Adonis (to showman): 'M ON THE MASH TO-NIOHT; SHOW ME Venus! NIE, THERE'S A POOR BLIND MAN ALL ALONE AND IT'S NEARLY NIGHT!” October.—I feel that my narrative is drawing to a close, I am drawing, too—all day and all night I draw in charcoal. Let me lisp out a new confession: I am in love with some more men, One is an artist. Such cows as he paints! Oh, may heaven grant that I paint ‘one cow before I die—only one cow, holy Virgin! And a pig and a goat, and then I will be resigned, November.—1 am more and more miserable. When I was well and happy I was wretched. Picture to yourself, then, in what an ecstasy of grief 1am when I realize that I am soon to be annihilated, How soon? Too soon? No; but pretty soon. December,—\ am dying to-day, most becomingly attired in blue satin, My pet artist is with me, and we both look perfectly lovely. Iam reading Mother Goose aloud, and am delighted to see that I am making a favorable last impression on the public. Woe is over and misery is complete. paw . deW. A. UNQUESTIONABLY TEUTONIC. ~ENSUS TAKER: Were you born on American soil? Citizen: No, sorr. CENSUS TAKER (facetrously): And your face, my friend, tells me ] may as well omit the nationality question, When did you leave Ireland ? CivizeNn (nettled at being sized up so summarily): A foine cinsus taker ye're, indade! Oi'm no Irishman at all, at all. Census TAKER: Well, what are you? CivT1zEN: Oi'm a Ger-r-man. Census TAKER: All right; what name? Citizen: McCar-r-r-thy. comicbooks.com