Life, 1890-04-10 · page 8 of 18
Life — April 10, 1890 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 212 from Life Magazine: Satirical Commentary This page contains three separate comic pieces: 1. **"Brain-Racking Jury Duty"**: A sketch mocking jurors' confusion about legal procedure. Bridget questions Patrick about jury service, with Patrick humorously misunderstanding what jurors must decide—confusing the legal merits with whether "both soils is Oirish." 2. **"Repartee Extraordinary"**: A dialogue between a donkey and elephant about sensory perceptions, likely satirizing political opponents (donkey/Democrat, elephant/Republican) through absurdist humor about their differences. 3. **"Military Terms"** and **"Chicagoans for One Thing"**: Brief illustrated jokes—one about military positions ("The First Attack," "Up in Arms"), the other a joke about Chicago merchants and the *Merchant of Venice*. The page reflects early 20th-century American satirical humor targeting Irish immigrants, political parties, and urban culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NOC we BRAIN-RACKING JURY DUTY. Bridget : Patrick Bridget: AN’ 1.11 Patrick ? WULL, 17'S PHIN ROTH SoIDs 18 O1RISH. HOW DO YES LOIK REIN’ ON TH’ JURY, PATRICK ? In’, BRIDGET! HARRUD WORRICK ? ISY ENOUGH DECIDIN’ PHICH SOID 1S ROIGHT PHIN ONLY WAN 1S OIRISH; BUT IT'S HARRUD WORRICK DECIDIN' REPARTEE EXTRAORDINARY. OW does the world smell to you, with that long nose?” said the donkey to the elephant. “About as it sounds to you with those long ears,” replied the elephant. ** How does the world taste to you with those big teeth ?” said the donkey. ** About as it feels to you with those big hoofs,” replied the elephant. ** Are those two tails you have,” said the donkey, “one before, and ‘oné behind 2" * Are those two wings you have,” replied the elephant, ‘one on each side of your head ?” ** Old pipe-tine,” said the donkey, ‘let me see you blow your nose.” ** Old fog-horn,” replied the elephant, ** let me hear you sing.” “Your nose is too big for your body,’ said the donkey. saying a great deal, and it must be very inconvenient for you.” ** No more inconvenient,” replied the elephant, ‘* than it must be for you to have such a voice to sing, and such ears to hear it with.” +I believe,” said the donkey, ** you could put out a fire with a spout from that piece of hose of yours.” “Not if you fanned it with those ears, or with a blast from that throat of yours,” replied the elephant. And the donkey gave it up. Austin Bierbower. MILITARY TERMS. FIRST ATTACK.” “UP IN ARMS." CHICAGOANS FOR ONE THING. NEW YORKER: Have you seen the Merchant of Venice? CHICAGO MAN: No; what does he sell ? comicbooks.com