Life, 1891-04-23 · page 5 of 14
Life — April 23, 1891 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 253 Analysis This page from *Life* magazine contains several humor pieces typical of early 20th-century American satire: **"To Lalage"** is a romantic poem mocking overly sentimental verse, with an illustration of a street sweeper of 1751—suggesting ironic contrast between the poem's flowery language and mundane reality. **Count von Stutenhaufenhauser** sketch mocks pretentious German nobility with exaggerated dialect humor ("Ach, goot"). **"Whatever induced you to marry Fred?"** presents a brief domestic joke. The remaining cartoons illustrate various humorous anecdotes about unexpected situations and comic misunderstandings, including dialogue between characters named Blaine, Nichols, George, and Ethel. The final item jokes about theatrical managers being "known by the company he keeps." The overall tone emphasizes gentle social satire and wordplay typical of *Life*'s editorial approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
- LIFE: TO LALAGE. ’ IS sad, I know, but when I think On you, and on your ways, Miss, I’m fain to waste my time and ink, On madrigals and lays, Miss; I wish you were not half so kind, So fair, so sweet, so gentle, Or else, that I'd the strength of mind Not to grow sentimental. I know I love you with my verse, Alas, full well I know it! Yet must my love in rhyme rehearse, For why? Lama poet. But well you know, come prose, come rhyme, There’s none that above you, And that, nor Death, nor old man Time Can prove Idonotlove you. Wm, B. MeVickar. ranks A STREET SWEEPER OF ‘ot. COUNT VON STUTENHAUFENHAUSER (on the Albany boat): Ach, goot; but you haf no robber-baron castles auf dem Hudson! Bonp: Why, there’s Jay Gould's country-place over there. Ss HATEVER induced you to marry Fred?" “ Fred, of course.” The Fat One: BREAK LOOSE ? The Lean One: VD GET BEHIND You, WHEN HE COULD GET MEAT! WHAT WOULD VER DO BILLY IF DAT LION WUS TER HE WOULDN'T GRAB AT A BONE THE UNEXPECTED. THE SITUATION. LAINE: Please explain why you killed those eleven Italians, NICHOLS: Nice day, isn’t it? EORGE: Misfortune has its recompenses. ETHEL: How do you make that out? GEORGE: The homely girl can cat onions. HE theatrical manager is known by the com- pany he keeps. comicbooks.com