Life, 1891-02-19 · page 10 of 14
Life — February 19, 1891 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Page 116: "The Reward of Perseverance" **Top Section:** A four-panel narrative about "Alphonso" depicts a man rejected in love who attempts suicide (gas), closes his door, and eventually encounters New York City policemen. The final panel shows he survives, suggesting perseverance through hardship yields redemption. **Bottom Section:** "The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse" is a satirical dialogue mocking New York City theater practices. The Country Mouse questions why reserved theater seats cost extra when already advertised. The City Mouse explains that speculators—"beetle-browed ruffians" standing outside theaters—buy desirable seats and resell them at markups to patrons, a widespread ticket-scalping practice the magazine ridicules as dishonest and exploitative. The satire targets both theater management complicity and urban scalping culture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: REWARD OF PERSEVERANCE. ALPHONSO HAS BEEN REJECTED AND DETER- He CLOSES IIS ROOM AND BLOWS OUT He Gives “hack TALK" TO a New THE GAS, BUT MIS EVER-WATCHFUL YORK POLICEMAN, BUT FATE 18 STILL LANDLADY IS TOO MUCH FOR HIM, AGAINST HIM, AND HE IS NOT CLUBBED TO. DEATH. THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE. HE COUNTRY MOUSE: Well, Tom, times are pretty hard down our way, but as this is my only evening in New York, I guess I'll go to the theatre. I see by the paper that a reserved seat costs a dollar and a half. Tue City Mouse: Oh, no, Uncle Edward. A reserved seat that you would care to sit in will cost you two dollars at least. HE TAKES A DUSE OF KOUGH-ON-RATS, BUT COUNTRY MOUSE: is i is a ala ba AR OSAVUPATHETIC DOCTOR MANAGES TOPCEE THE COUNTRY Mouse: But this is the theatre's own advertisement. HIM THROUGH, THE City Mouse: Yes. t THE COUNTRY MOUSE: Do you mean to say that the men who run the theatres in New York are dishonest enough to advertise one price and charge another ? Tue City Mouse: That isn’t dishonesty, Uncle; that’s managerial shrewdness, THE CountRY Mouse: Down our way we'd call it swindling. But do they really do it? Tue City Mouse: With one or two exceptions, At Daly's, the Casino and the Lyceum, you can secure seats on the “first come, first served" princi- ple, but at the other theatres, to get a seat from which you can see the perform- ance, you will have to buy it from a speculator, THE COUNTRY MOUSE: What isa speculator ? Tue City Mouse: He is a beetle-browed ruffian who stands out in front of a theatre and sells the desirable seats to the public at excessive prices. THe CountTRY Mouse: Where does he get the tickets ? Tue City Mouse: From the shrewd manager. as a rule. This is not invariably so, but in most cases where you see speculators in front of a theatre you may be sure the shrewd manager gets most of the money the speculator extorts from the patrons of the theatre. THe CountrY Mouse: I'd like to see a speculator. Whereabouts are they to be found ? THE Ciry Mouse: You can see them in their glory in front of Harrigan’s He JUMPS OFF THE FERRY-POAT, RUT 15 Theatre, the Metropolitan Opera House, and whenever any of Henry E, Abbey's IMMEDIATELY RESCUED, attractions appear— Bernhardt, for instance. comicbooks.com