Life, 1891-09-17 · page 3 of 18
Life — September 17, 1891 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XVIII, Number 455) This page contains three distinct satirical pieces from 1890: 1. **Top illustration**: A domestic scene satirizing women's usefulness, with dialogue questioning whether women are "pretty useful" and "almost as useful as a man," concluding with a dismissive remark about Santa Claus and "ordinary man." 2. **"Those Reliable Horse Advertisements"**: Mocks exaggerated claims in horse-sale ads, depicting a comically chaotic, unsuitable horse for children—satirizing dishonest advertising practices. 3. **"Ye Three Gladde Thynges"** and **"The Light That Failed"**: A poem about pleasant things, followed by a brief comic scene where one man proposes marriage to another who agrees only if the proposer votes for him—satirizing corrupt political bargaining disguised as personal relationships. The page reflects 1890s concerns: gender roles, consumer fraud, and political corruption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NUMBER 455. “Ves, DRAR.” “ALMOST AS USEFUL AS A MAN?” , YE—ES." “T DON'T MEAN SANTA CLAUS OR Gob, BUT ANY ORDINARY RELIABLE HORSE ADVER- YE THREE GLADDE THYNGES. A.D. 1990. TISEMENTS: ie E: Will you marry me ? F gladde thynges, two there be— SHE: Yes, if you will vote for Aye, three! Ye wine we singing Sip; A maide's redde lip; Ye musick swectlie ringing, To which gaye dancers trip. me. Of sadde thynges, too, there be— Just three! Ye ache of swelling Crowne ; A dark cye’s frowne ; And vain regrets upwelling, “A CHUNKY RELIANLE Posy, FoR HARSess — Which singing will not drowne, OR SADDLE, ACCUSTOMED TO CHILDREN.” Arthur Leslie Green STE LIGHT THAT FAILED." comicbooks.com