Life, 1890-12-18 · page 3 of 14
Life — December 18, 1890 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XVI, Number 416) This page contains three separate humorous sketches typical of Life's satirical format: 1. **"An Improvement"**: A poem mocking a young man who stole his sweetheart's cast-off glove from her hand, suggesting he lacks genuine romantic skill. 2. **"An Eloquent Trophy"**: Gentlemen discuss a coat worn during tiger-hunting, with one noting the tail holes "grew that way" when first seeing the quarry—satirizing hunters who exaggerate their exploits. 3. **"Old Dog"**: A brief joke about a dog's uselessness, with the caption suggesting the dog will "never obtain your end." 4. **"Mrs. Bloodbumper"**: A Q&A about the difference between base ball and foot ball, where Bloodbumper pedantically notes that in base ball, "the kicking is not really part of the game." The page exemplifies Life's format: lighthearted social satire targeting pretension, hunting boasts, and pedantic behavior.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XVI. | E f © NUMBER 416. AN IMPROVEMENT. ‘VE read of the swain of olden time, Who sought from the maiden of his love, Because it had touched her dainty hand, The gift of her little cast-off glove. Poor fool! Our youth shows wisdom's gain, For slyly, with skillful hand he snips A bit from his best girl's spotted veil. Because it has pressed her rosy lips ! ; He: Fa BROWN IS ENGAGED, She: Wuat!l THAT STUPID, SNUB-NOSED, COMMON LITTLE CREATURE ? WHO ON EARTH 18 GOING TO KE FOOL ENOUGH TO MARRY HER ? He: Guern wno To? WeELL—ER—THAT ITH—I AM, AN ELOQUENT TROPHY. * THAT'S A COAT | WORE DURING MY TIGER-HUNTING TRIP TO Bry- ore.” NT AT CUT RATHER QUEERLY?” “WELL, Vou SEE, THE TAILS SORT OF GREW THAT WAY WHEN T saw y FIRST QUARRY.” 8S BeOoBUMPER + What is the difference between base - i ball and foot ball ? Old Dog: VWs OF NO USE, OU'LL NEVER On BLOOBUMPER : TAIN YOUR END.” In base ball the kicking is not really part of the game. MY BOY: Y comicbooks.com