Life, 1891-12-10 · page 12 of 14
Life — December 10, 1891 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Satire on Serialized Novel Conventions This page satirizes the formulaic conventions of serialized novels popular in the late 19th/early 20th century. The main dialogue between "The Adventuress" and "The Villain" mocks the predictable plot mechanics: characters discuss how the runaway horse must be caught by chapter four, the heroine calmed by chapter five, to maintain reader interest. They joke about repeating plot devices (poisoned cups, duels, Monte Carlo settings, confessions during consumption deaths) as if they're interchangeable props rather than genuine storytelling. The accompanying illustrations depict scenes from melodramatic fiction—children eavesdropping, villainous encounters—exemplifying the overwrought tropes being ridiculed. Below, "Called Back" and "Very Green Eyed" appear to be additional short satirical pieces about stock character types and romantic jealousy, further mocking Victorian literary clichés.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE-: A TeTE-A-TETE, AN ADVENTURES. A VILLAIN. Scene—The Sixth Chapter of a Novel. HE ADVENTURESS : Well, we meet rather earlier T in this novel than we usnally do, THe VILLAIN: Ves, the runaway horse was caught so soon by that prig of a hero that he only got as far as the fourth chapter, the heroine's nerves were calmed in the fifth, and, therefore, it was a matter of necessity that they should bring us in in the sixth in keep up the interest in the book. Tue Apventuress: Oh, that was it, wasit. Well, I suppose that I have got to scheme to marry the Be careful not I've got to commit der to ro longer than usual this time. to upset that cup of poison. suicide with it in the last chapter. THe VILLAIN: Ethe suicide in the next to the last chapter? Tue Apvexturess : author is determined to be original in this book. ng to Monte Carlo this time ? Tie Vittats : [don’t know. to be wrecked in the Mediterranean, or off the coast of Africa. ght you always committed I usually do, but the By the way, are you It depends on whether the hero is Ido hope it’s not the latter, for [ detest leading those rebellious Zulu chiefs. I'd much prefer a duel, although to be sure the last time we fought one he shot me through the heart and killed me instantly. THe AbVENTURESS: papers out of your pocket before they buried you, and kept. them OL remember—I stole the compromising worrying a couple of chapters more. Tue Vittaty cabinet ? THe Apvexturess Good for you. By the way, what have you in that O those are my wiles, I have to keep them VERY GREEN EYED. She: PROCEED, SALVATOR MONAIIAN, DUT TAKE GO TOO FARE He: T0O FAR 200 far 2 SITTIN’ ON AN ASH DARREL WID AN INTIRE STRANGER, Hat Hatt HEED LEST VE You, WHO WERE SEEN LAST NIGHT EATIN’ PEANUTS OUT O° THE SAME BAG TALK TO me OF GOLN’ TOO FAR. Ha! (Bites himself in the arm and swoons,) labelled and arranged alphabetically, or I should never be able to keep track of them. THe Vittatx: Thave to be almost as careful of my crimes. In fact for a long time, when they began making a minister of me in almost every novel that was published, I had to put them in the safety deposit vaults, or | would have lost them, It was awful. Then I had to preach every Sunday, and at the end of the book had to confess, usually when I was dying from consumption. By the way, I acquired a guilty conscience then. Tue ApveNTURess : We VILLAIN: O yes. be useful Do you still keep it ? The contingency may arise when it would CALLED BACK. “| THOUGHT YOU WERE ON YOUR Way OUT West?” “So [ was, Wittie, so 1 was; nut I Got Lert. THE WAY IT HaprPENep, You see, I SAW AN OPEN FREIGHT CAR ATTACHED TO A SPECIAL, WAITING IN THE YARD, AND IN I otTs. You JUST OUGHT TO HAVE SEEN WHAT WAS IN THAT CAR, CHAM- PAGNE RY THE DOZEN BASKETS, WIIISKIES, BRANDIES, AND EVERY Tuts 1s KIND OF STUFF YOU COULD THINK OF. CAR WITH ME INSIDE, WELL, THEY LOCKED THE AND I Says To MeSELF, says I, Peter, YOU ARE {NIT THIS TIME, BUT—EXCUSE THESE TEARS THEY HADN'T PULLED OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS BEFORE A FELLER COMES IX TO GIT SOME OF THE GOODS, AND OF COURSE GOT ONTO ME IN A MINUTE, AND FIRED Me. Wituie, TP onap GOT ON TO A SPECIAL OF A UL S. SENATE COMMITTEE GOING TO A FUNERAL, SURE, comicbooks.com