Life, 1891-06-04 · page 7 of 16
Life — June 4, 1891 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 351 This page contains two distinct pieces: **Top Section:** A four-panel comic strip titled "The Beam in Your Own Eye" depicts a jewelry store scene. It appears to satirize a widow's complaint to a grocer about her late husband Dennis McFlibbert. The grocer (likely named Shotoff) systematically counters her grievances—revealing Dennis avoided military service in Canada, was an alcoholic, required financial support, and was generally worthless. The final panel shows an argument erupting. The satire targets the widow's selective memory and moral complaints about her husband when her own situation was morally questionable. **Bottom Section:** "Easiest Way Out" is a brief anecdote about forgetting a failed romantic relationship. It's sentimental rather than satirical—the narrator claims genuine affection (not physical appearance) enabled him to move past the breakup. Both pieces focus on relationships and character, typical of Life's humorous content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
351 THE BEAM IN YOUR OWN EYE. “Yes,” Shotoff went on, reminiscently ; “it was about two ANi years after I volunteered that Dennis McFlibbert was drafted and sent to the front. He'd dodged the conscript officers quite awhile, hadn't he ?” The hero's widow looked slightly pained at this, but said nothing. “Itis my recollection—correct me if 1 err—that Dennis had been living in Canada for quite awhile, to avoid military service, and was nabbed on one of his visits home. Is that correct ?”” “ Dennis was a kind and indulgent husband, sir,” said the widow, with dignity and irrelevancy. “1 believe he did indulge—in intoxicating liquors—a trifle more than was good for him. He came from Canada on the occasion I name to get from you some of the money you had saved up by taking in washing. Am I right?" “You are downright insulting, sir.” “Not at all. Iwas merely corroborating your statement about his being an indulgent husband. It is my recollection that you had been obliged to support him for several years before the war broke out.” “Sir!” “Didn't he make your life a burden and didn’t you often threaten to get a divorce ?” The widow's tears were all dry by this time, and she was very red in the face. Still Shotoff proceeded : “Hadn't you gone home to your mother three separate times, each time declaring that no power on earth could make you live with him again?" “ Mr. Shotoff, this is too much!" “And don’t you get $35 a month from the Government now on account of being his widow? And isn’t he of vastly more value to you dead than he ever was alive ?" “You are no gentleman !" exclaimed the indignant woman, as she hurriedly left the store. “ You were rather hard on her, weren't you?” asked the grocer after she had gone. “Not too hard,” replied Shotoff. “I've heard her talk about her hero husband until I am weary. 1 could stand it first rate till she appealed to me for corroboration, and then my sense of justice impelled me to tell the truth, The war was the greatest benefit in the world to her. You sce the Government's paying a good deal more for the life of Dennis McFlibbert than it was worth. Why, the woman is crazy to marry again, but she is afraid she'll get another husband as worthless as her dead hero, and have to give up her pension.” And Shotoff became so agitated that he absent-mindedly broke off half a pound of Mr. Peck’s cheese and ate it to the accompaniment of four soda crackers. William Henry Stviter. EASIEST WAY OUT. Y first love had red hair and light blue eyes. It jarred upon me terribly at first, but after awhile I forgot all about it.” “ What did she do ?—dye ? “No; my affection did.” “ce comicbooks.com