Life, 1890-12-11 · page 3 of 14
Life — December 11, 1890 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XVI, Number 415) This page contains several light satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century humor magazines: **"To Eliza"** is a romantic poem mocking marriage hesitation, attributing the reluctance to financial concerns ("You're spending three thousand a year"). **"An Unexpected Answer"** jokes about a husband's sleep-talking—he mentions "chips and three of a kind," revealing his evening poker game to his wife. **"Proof"** and **"Not Exactly a Pastime"** are brief comedy sketches about small-town life and a farmer's daughter's unmusical piano playing. **"A Moment of Suspense"** depicts a child who has lost candy, worried about smelling it in her pocket. The page features typical period illustrations and offers gentle social satire targeting romance, domestic life, and rural America—standard genteel humor for Life's educated audience.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XVI. ° |. | f E ¢ NUMBER ra (a) fo) lg 0 > G . Pas OR, WHY WE DON'T MARRY. ? n> OUR foot is the tiniest that trips, love, Thro’ the maddening maze of the waltz ; Two blossoming buds are your lips, love, Your eyes say your heart is not false. Your hands are so dainty and white, love, Your figure so wondrously fine, That I'm tempted almost, but not quite, love, To say, I adore you !—be mine! But no ! there's a frightening fear, love, That will not allow me to sp: You're spending three thousand a year, love ; 7'm making twelve dollars a week. William Barclay Dunham, AN UNEXPECTED ANSWER. it 5. BOB TAYL: Bob, what did you mean by i talking in your sleep last night about chips and three of a kind ? B. Tayi: Why, we'd been playing poker at the club all the evening. PROOF. ee EO is a Democratic town.” “T think not.” “T know it is. It has fallen off so in population, according to Mr. Porter's figures.” NOT EXACTLY A PASTIME. ELLOWS: Does your daughter play on the piano ? OLD FARMER (¢# fones of deep disgust): No, sir. She works on it, pounds on it, rakes it, scrapes it, jumps on it, and rolls over on it, but there's no play about it, sir. A MOMENT OF SUSPENSE. Anna Matilda (who has just made a purchase): WAT LAKRS INFRA DIG—A spade. COCOANUT CANDY, AN’ SMELLS IT IN MY POCKET, IAM Lost! comicbooks.com