Life, 1890-12-11 · page 8 of 14
Life — December 11, 1890 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 338 This page contains several satirical pieces typical of Life magazine's format: **"Where the Muse Lingers"** is a dialogue between Miss Simper and Mr. Rondo about where writers find inspiration—urban centers versus rural settings. Rondo argues that epic poetry about everyday urban life (referencing O'Reilly's "Who Has Swiped My Silk Umbrella?") connects better with ordinary people than pastoral works. **"Have the Classics Gone?"** jokes about a Boston girl breaking her engagement after quoting Ovid and receiving a Johnson telegram in response—suggesting the decline of classical education or romantic gestures. The remaining pieces are brief humorous observations: an apology about "honest women" as dress linings, a poem about laughter in hell, and commentary on advertising's effectiveness and poverty's hardships, all presented as typical Life magazine humor and social commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: “IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LAUGH.” WHERE THE MUSE LINGERS. —English Proverb. ISS SIMPER: Where do you do your best work, Mr. Rondo? In the crowded city or on the rocky slope of some grand old mountain ? Mr. Ronpo: Oh, the country is all very well for such pastoral authors as Thoreau and Words- worth ; but the man who writes such epics as “ Who Has Swiped My Silk Umbrella?” and “ O'Reilly's Sunday Jag,” finds his truest inspiration near the great throbbing heart of humanity. HAVE THE CLASSICS GONE? ~HE: Is Mr. Johnson's engagement with that Boston girl broken off ? Yes. What was the cau She quoted from Ovid in one of her letters, and Johnson telegraphed her for the cipher. ITH APOLOGIES TO A CERTAIN FIRM— The best of all dress linings is an honest woman ! NCE on a time it so befell, Or so it is averred, | That in the utmost depths of hell a A merry laugh was heard, Thereat for once the ghostly crew Forgot their tecth to gnash, And trembling asked cach other who In hell could be so rash. Up rose the Prince with darkening brow, And pointing with his staff, Bade one stand forth and tell him how In hell he came to laugh. Then from the silent, ghostly throng A voice was heard to break, It had a British accent strong And there was no mistake. “Oh come! [ say! upon my word I had to laugh,” he cried, “I've caught the point of a joke I heard Ten years before I died !” 0. Herford. A REMARKABLE RESULT. , DITOR OF THE 2AZOO: Does it pay to advertise THE EVILS OF POVERTY. in my paper? Well, I should say it does, Look at Small Boy (afer a visit from hus rich uncle): How mvc 1s Smith, the grocer, for instance. He advertised for a boy tuat caxpy? last week, and the very next day Mrs. Smith had twins— Confectioner; FIrTY CENTS A POUND, ‘ Small Boy: How MUCH IS ALL IN THE CASE? Confectioners Att? [t WOULD BE WORTH THIRTY OR FORTY DOLLARS, AN EAVESDROPPER—The icicle. Small Boy (gloomily): UNCLE ONLY GAVE ME TEN DOLLARS. both of them boys ! comicbooks.com