Life, 1891-11-19 · page 8 of 24
Life — November 19, 1891 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 292 This page contains three separate humorous pieces satirizing American social conventions: **Top section**: A railroad engineer cartoon mocking dramatic excuses—the engineer claims he cannot reverse time to explain a mishap, poking fun at people making impossible demands. **"Thanksgiving Dinner of the Turkeys' Mutual Benefit Association"**: A darkly comic illustration showing turkeys dining together, with the ironic title suggesting they're celebrating while facing their fate as Thanksgiving meals. The satire targets the obliviousness of the doomed. **"Penelope Thinketh of Thanksgiving"**: A lengthy monologue from a wealthy young woman (Penelope) listing everything she's thankful for—her parents, Jack (likely a suitor), her home, social invitations. The satire mocks upper-class entitlement and the self-absorbed nature of gratitude lists. **"Horrible" section**: A brief dialogue between characters discussing nightmares and social awkwardness. The page exemplifies *Life*'s satirical humor targeting American society's vanity and pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*-LIFE: A THANKSGIVING DINNER OF THE TURKEYS’ MUTUAL BENEFIT ASSOCIATION. Engineer (as he rounds the curve): GOOD MEAVENS, BILL t THERE'S A MAN ON THE TRACK, AND L CAN'T REVERSE IN TIME, NOT TO BE CONSIDERED. S George folded the fair young creature to his heart, a dull crackling sound smote his ear. “Ah, it's good- by to those imported cigars in my vest pocket,” he said grimly ; “but darn the expense at a moment like this.” HORRIBLE. if EGINALD: Why, Chappie, what's the matter—are you ill ? CuHappleE: {[ just had an awful nightmare, old fel. I dweampt I was a waitah, bah Jove, and had to wear a dwess- . . suit in the day-time. ‘NO HARM DONE, GENTS, MUCII OBLIGED FOR THE CUT.” PENELOPE THINKETH OF THANKSGIVING. £€-T0-MORROW will be Thanksgiving,” thought Pene- lope, as she rocked herself in her usual nervous manner in the pretty rocking chair in her cosy boudoir, “ and I suppose | ought to be thinking about what I am going to give thanks to the Lord for. Now there's papa and mamma —I suppose I ought to give thanks for having them. Papa is getting more excitable every day, and mamma bothers me a great deal with advice, but | suppose they're as good as the average run of parents, and I would rather have them now than any others because 1 understand them thoroughly— and they are not smart enough to understand me. Then there's Jack. I suppose I ought to be thankful for having him. Some girls don’t have any fiancé at all; but really Jack ought to be a great deal more thankful for having me, so I don’t think I'll be thankful for having him. Then there's my home, and these matinee tickets, and that box of candy, and the invitation to the Van Rentsarelow ball which I didn’t expect, and the new family in our congregation with the good looking son, and—well, and the brains in my own little head, as Jack cal although it’s as large as his and has lots more in it, and—and my ability to tell whoppers without being caught or even e: suspicion, For all these I will thank the Lord, to-morrow. “Wuy bors ST. PETER ALWAYS CARRY A LATCH KEY?" comicbooks.com