Life, 1890-07-31 · page 12 of 16
Life — July 31, 1890 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 54: Social Satire This page contains three distinct humorous pieces typical of early 20th-century American satire: **"Her Tea Gown"**: A romantic poem mocking sentimental Victorian courtship. A man is enchanted by a woman in a pink tea gown preparing tea, but the joke is his ulterior motive—he wants both the gown *and* the woman in it, reducing romance to physical desire. **"Men Are Deceivers"**: A brief comic dialogue where a child (Clara) asks Jimmy to read a shop sign. Jimmy deliberately misreads it, claiming the stand closes at 3 PM when it actually says something else—illustrating the title's point that men (even boys) are dishonest. **The Congressional Anecdote**: A brief quip about Mr. Blaine (likely James G. Blaine, 19th-century politician), noting the common path from the House to Senate as a money-making venture. **"Civilization"**: An obscure final joke suggesting civilization is superficial, reduced to whitewash and black cloth—possibly satirizing materialistic values. The accompanying illustrations show domestic chaos and social pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HER TEA GOWN. N ‘witching gown of dainty pink (To match her blushes), Preparing the seductive drink Bohea, midst plushes, Old rugs and bric-a-brac was she A recollection That is the very pink, to me, Of sweet perfection. “[was surely not her tea has made My vision rosy. That now couleur de rose arrayed Life seems less prosy. And this to tell her I incline This very minute : I wish that dainty gown were mine— And she within it! HE. OW. MEN ARE DECEIVERS. Clara (who unfortunately cannot read): Juma? WHAT DOES IT SAY ON THAT BOARD, Jimmy: OM, NOTHIN; ONLY THAT DURING THE HOT WEATHER THE STAND WILL. RE CLOSED AT THREE O'CLOCK ! TRON T is in the regular line of promotion for Congressmen to go into the Senate. There was Mr. Blaine. Made his money in the lower house, and then went to the Senate. IVILIZATION, Freddy, is carried in the color-box of the world. White kalsomine and black hair-cloth are taking to the woods. comicbooks.com