Life, 1890-12-25 · page 36 of 51
Life — December 25, 1890 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two distinct satirical pieces from *Life*, an American humor magazine. **"The Cat with the Long Head"** (top): A series of humorous illustrations showing a cat repeatedly interacting with a doghouse, suggesting physical comedy or slapstick humor about persistence and conflict. **"Love Versus Poverty"** (center): A philosophical poem posing the question whether romantic love survives when poverty arrives. Three respondents offer contrasting answers: a light-hearted maiden claims ignorance of love; a wealthy man reports love thriving in his household (never having met poverty); and a wise sage confirms love flees poverty "with the wings of a swallow." The satire mocks how wealth insulates people from understanding love's fragility under economic hardship. **"Ad Hominem"** (bottom): A brief joke playing on the term "charitable." When asked what charitable acts someone performed, the woman reveals he merely "spoke well of you"—satirizing empty praise as the cheapest form of supposed kindness. The page exemplifies *Life*'s satirical approach to social and economic realities of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE CAY WITH THE LONG HEAD. LOVE VERSUS POVERTY. L > AID I toa light-hearted maiden, Who airily danced o'er the floor: “Does Love fly away through the window When Poverty knocks at the door?” M She gave me a glance full. of archness, And curled her sweet lips in a pout— “Love, sit, is something,” she whispered, “Tam sure I know nothing about,” mm. I asked of a man who is richer, Far richer than Crarsus of yore: ‘Does Love fly away through the window When Poverty knocks at the door?” Ww “T wish I could tell you,” he answered, (While smoothing a crown that is bald) * For Love is a queen in our houschold, But Poverty never has called.” v T turned to a sage who had studied The world, from the rind to the core: ** Does Love fly away through the window When Poverty knocks at the door?” vi 70 dees—with the wings of a swallow, And sometimes I've noticed, of late That Love will flit out through the window Should poverty rattle the gate.” Je As Conwell. AD HOMINEM. E E: Ishe very charitable ? SHE: Yes, very. He: What's he done? Sie: Well, L heard him speak well of you just now, comicbooks.com