Life, 1891-01-22 · page 5 of 18
Life — January 22, 1891 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 53 of Life Magazine - Analysis This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: 1. **"The Last Lover"** - A romantic poem attributed to Metcalfe, illustrated with dramatic imagery of Death as a skeletal figure embracing a weary lover, mocking Victorian sentimentality about romantic death. 2. **"Also, He Done It"** - A courtroom dialogue satirizing legal proceedings. A plaintiff with a "dischanged liar" is questioned about an assault. The humor lies in the plaintiff's evasive answers ("Har") and the absurd escalation—the defendant supposedly told him to return something or "I'll knock a bale o' hay out of you." 3. **"On the Sixth Avenue Elevated"** and **"Go to the Ant, Thou Sluggard"** - Brief urban observations mocking New York City life and human nature's irritability, with an accompanying illustration of people at a train platform. The overall tone is cynical, mocking human folly, legal systems, and urban manners.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE LAST LOVER. IRED of earthly loving : Weary of earthly sin, Weighed down with earthly sorrow, Thy peace I fain would win, Dear Death! In thy pale arms enfold me! Thy damp kiss on my brow Shall bring me peace at last, love; I fain would have it now, Sweet Death ! And thy love shall last forever, And thy constancy alway, So tarry not, my lover, But come, yes, come to-day, My Death! Metcalfe, ALSO, HE DONE IT. MINENT ADVOCATE: Now, sir, what led to the assault ? PLAINTIFF (deaf): Yes, sir. ADVOCATE (/ouder): What caused the defendant to assault you? PLAINTIFF (sttl/ deaf): Har. ADVOCATE (roaring): What made him hit you? PLAINTIFF: Wal, you see, Squire, it was this way : I called him a dad-danged liar. Sez he, “If you don’t take that back I'll knock a bale 0’ hay out of you.” ADVOCATE: What ensued? PLAINTIFF: Har, ADVOCATE (stentortanly): What followed ? PLAINTIFF (cheerfully): Also, he done it. ON THE SIXTH AVENUE ELEVATED. ye is very cold on this platform,” said Cholly Greenleaf, as he stood waiting for a Harlem train to arrive at the Grand street station. i “It may be,” returned the ticket-chopper guardedly, GO TO THE ANT, THOU SLUGGARD.. hsb “ But the next station is Bleecker.” Very Bad Boy (who has been playing truant): WAT WAS PE TEXT . F fy DIS MORNIN’, Jimmy? I MAS TER TELL DER FOLKS WHEN | GET HOME, HE little busy bee improves each shining hour, OR ELSE THEY'LL SUSPEC' SOMFINS WR i ei f those with Good Little Boy (who is never absent): 1T was ‘Go TO YOU AUNT but it doesn’t improve the temper of those AND GET SLUGGED;" AN I TELL YOU THE SERMON WAS FINE! whom it comes in contact. comicbooks.com