Life, 1890-06-19 · page 3 of 14
Life — June 19, 1890 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XV, Number 390) This page contains three distinct pieces of satire: 1. **"Washington Gossip"** (top): A poem about Lady Surplus being "short to wed" and "dissolute spendthrift" — appears to satirize Washington social scandals through personification. 2. **"How We Shake Hands Nowadays"** (illustration): A cartoon mocking modern handshake etiquette, showing exaggerated, awkward physical contact between men and women — likely satirizing changing social conventions of the era. 3. **"Innocence Abroad"** (photograph with dialogue): Features "Ned Bunco" and "Timothy Clover," with Uncle Rufus referenced. The dialogue suggests satire of tourists or foreigners seeking famous landmarks (McGinty statue), mocking naive travelers and local con-artists. 4. **"At The Criticism Club"** (bottom): Discussion of Shakespeare's dramatic power—likely literary satire about academic pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a VOLUME XV. e83 tobac. at usually Do ne] * siving this is simply ow-priced WASHINGTON GOSSIP. king Mix- IGHEST circles are stirred, it is openly said, k CO. By a rumor that’s mighty explicit, LS. That the stout Lady Surplus is shortly : to wed ines. The dissolute spendthrift—Deficit. P r. Warden May lifurnia, Pure e. LSE. ADE. Co., w York Es ST. ST. bed 1853. TEL, udson, treet and ver RR. INNOCENCE ABROAD. D BUNCO (accosting Timothy Clover on street): How-dy, sir; you seem to be quite familiar with the city. Will you be good enough to inform me where | can find the McGinty statue? Iam a stranger here. TimotTuHy CLover: Kain’t al- lus go by th’ looks, friend. I bea stranger in town myself! Nep Bunco: Yeu don’t say so, Timoruy CLover: Yep. For al. AT THE CRITICISM CLUB. oe (CONSIDER the range of subjects in Shakespeare.” “ Perfectly marvelous—but there is one thing about Shakespeare that I never could understand,” “What was that?” “How with his dramatic power Ter KERR: he could leave untouched so mag- Uncle Rufus (who never likes to be taken ata disadvantage): O, CERTAINLY ; RY ALL nificent an opportunity as tat MEANS! afforded by Charles and Cromwell.” comicbooks.com