Life, 1891-03-19 · page 10 of 14
Life — March 19, 1891 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 174 This page satirizes the experience of newcomers to New York City navigating the rapid transit system to reach Harlem. **Top strip**: Shows a man and child waiting for a Harlem train. The joke is that trains pass without stopping ("This train does not stop"), leading to surprise and eventually resigned patience—capturing the frustration of New York's unreliable transit. **Middle section**: A humorous poem titled "A Hard Life" by Carlyle Smith depicts someone with a severe stutter, unable to complete sentences or court a woman ("Hubub-cause I hub-ave an Imp-up-up-ediment of speech"). **Bottom strip**: Illustrates the actual journey—sardine-packed conditions at 125th Street, crowding on cars, and finally arriving home by carriage. The satire critiques both transit inefficiency and the chaos of urban travel during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
> LIFE: THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE IN NEW YORK RAPID TRANSIT; Or, How To cet TO Harte IN A HURRY. 1g foratrain to Harlem. derful conveniences these elevated railroads.” A HARD LIFE, I AM a wo.wo-woful man— My gug-gug-goal I'll never reach, Bub-ub-ecause I hu-have an Imp-up-up-ediment of speech. I lul-ul-loved a nice mum-maid, And stut-ut-arted to propose, Bub-but before my words were said Sh-she fuf-fell into a doze. V'd chances to wow-win a pile, Bub-but wow-when I tried to speak, The other fellow with a smile Declined to wow-ow-wait a week, Sus-so it goes in all I do, Num-no mum-matter wow-wow-what ; I'm always left tut-tut-tut to Bemoan my beastly lul-lul-lot. And this is wow-wow-why I am Nigh ready now to skeeh-kuk-creech— Oh, dud-dud-dud-dud-dud-dud-d—n Imp-up-up-ediment of speech, The M. D. (whispering): Now, Jones, 11's Yours, Carlyle Smith, Jones (ditto): No, Doctor, YoURS—1T’S SURE DEATH IF YOU TAKE HOLD OF IT, TO BE LIVED DOWN. Sardine box to soth Street. At last they get on, Get off in disgust and indigna- Hire a coupé and ride home No good. tion at the very next station. comfortably. comicbooks.com