Life, 1891-12-31 · page 46 of 53
Life — December 31, 1891 — page 46: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main illustration depicts "Life's Researches in Roman Railways," a humorous fantasy showing ancient Romans on a railway platform—an anachronistic joke juxtaposing modern technology with antiquity. Below are four separate satirical jokes: 1. **"Hard Luck"**: A man forgot his theater tickets at home—a relatable everyday mishap. 2. **"A Good Reason"**: A man quit housekeeping because he got hungry, implying his wife's cooking was inedible—a common marital joke of the era. 3. **"The Antiquity of the Tank Play"**: Two theater-goers debate whether "Ten Nights in a Bar Room" was the first "tank play" (plays featuring water tanks for special effects). One claims Shakespeare's "Henry the Fourth" predates it because of Sir John Falstaff—a joke about Falstaff's association with taverns and drinking, treating him as metaphorically a "tank" character. 4. **"His Ungallant Inference"**: A man, hearing the Bishop of Massachusetts speaks 312 words per minute, assumes there are no women bishops—implying women talk excessively, a sexist stereotype common to period humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE’S RESEARCHES IN ROMAN RAILWAYS. ON THE PLATFORM. HARD LUCK. E stood upon the theatre steps, And longed to be in Rome, Or any other place, because He'd left his tickets home. ES (at the fountain): Well, thank heavens, water Bere isc if nothing else is ! BROOKS: Hum! Guess you never bought any agua pura ata drug store. A GOOD REASON. Why did you give up housekeeping ? OUNGHUSBAND: L got hungry. THE ANTIQUITY OF THE TANK PLAY. OTLING : I suppose that “ Ten Nights in a Bar Room“ was really the first tank drama. You forget “ Henry the Fourth.” hat was written by Shakespeare.” “ He never introduced a tank into a play.” “ What's the matter with Sir John Falstaff? HIS UNGALLANT INFERENCE, RS. BUNTING: The Bishop of Massachusetts speaks / N 312 words a minute. BUNTING : I didnt know they had any women bishops. Tua TOL cot comicbooks.com 395”