Life, 1891-02-26 · page 11 of 14
Life — February 26, 1891 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 131 This page contains several satirical pieces typical of early Life magazine: **"An Enterprise Journalist"** criticizes Charles A. Dana, editor of the New York *Sun*, for misusing language—specifically trying to make "Congress" function as an adjective. The satire mocks Dana's editorial authority and his attempt to reform English usage. **"The True Reason"** is a brief joke about Washington crossing the Delaware, subverting the heroic narrative with a child's practical logic. **"Out of the Mouths of Babes"** plays on the phrase about children's unfiltered honesty, with children misunderstanding "grass widow" (a separated woman) as relating to actual grass and hay fever. **"A Rare Compliment"** jokes about social dancing and gender differences in judgment. The page exemplifies Life's focus on wordplay, social observation, and light mockery of American culture and public figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“TLL RAISE A BEARD; WITH THE BEARD, IT'LL MAKE ME LOOK MORE MANLY.” AN ENTERPRISE JOURNALIST. HEVALIER CHARLES A. DANA is trying by force of example to make his readers use the word “Congress” as an adjective. He frequently speaks of the Congress Elections in which the policy outlined by the gentleman whom the Chevalier humorously calls the Stuffed Prophet, was so vigorously endorsed. Pray desist, Chevalier, because the English language has difficulties enough al- ready without your trying to reform it. Your improvement on the English of our fathers, if carried out to its logical conclusion, might provoke a para- graph like this in some one of the Sun's tiv: The wickedness Mr. Dana, who edits the warmth end of the New York Sun, does not give our worth ex-Presi- dent the cordiality support which the more lateness gentleman's eminence abilities deserve. THE TRUE REASON. T EACHER: Why did Washing- ton cross the Delaware ? BRIGHT Boy: Because he wanted to get on the other side. OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES. WO children were playing on the side-walk and a lady passed them. “She's a grass widow,” said one. “ What's a grass widow ?” asked the other, “Gracious! Don’t you know ¢hat?" said the other, scornfully; “why, her husband died of hay fever.” Sympathetic Cousin: YES, 1T MUST HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN Mis3 GOLDING REFUSED You. Jack Van Broken: IT WAS A CRUSHER. SENTENCED TO HARD LABOR FOR LIFE. I FELT EXACrLY AS THOUGH I HAD BEEN A RARE COMPLIMENT. ISS SMILAX (to exceedingly awkward partner) : much more sensible than my brother Tom, Woope: Thank you, very much; but why do you say so? Miss SMILAX: Why, he thinks because he can't dance he ought not to come to parties at all. I think you are so comicbooks.com