Life, 1892-04-21 · page 12 of 18
Life — April 21, 1892 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page Analysis This page contains three satirical pieces typical of 19th-century American humor: **"Ghosts"** (poem): A philosophical reflection questioning whether the dead actually return to haunt the living. The speaker argues the deceased wouldn't waste time with "idle mirth" but instead would erase false epitaphs from their tombstones—a gentle jab at pretentious memorial inscriptions. **"The Jug and the Juggler"** (story): Social satire about a farmer trying to buy rum on credit. The grocer refuses, so the farmer tricks him: the jug contained water. The grocer unwittingly fills it with three quarts of rum, thinking he's being clever by removing liquor. The farmer leaves with mostly rum and outsmarts the merchant—celebrating working-class cunning over commercial dishonesty. **"Presence of Mind"** (brief sketch): A comedic ethnic stereotype featuring Jewish characters using broken English. When someone falls in a coal hole, they humorously prioritize preventing lawsuit/theft claims over actual rescue—dark humor about immigrant communities and bureaucratic absurdity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GHOSTS. OME think That those whose pale lips long since fed The worms, return from that dark river- brink Where Boatman Charon waits, again to earth To fright their living friends with eerie laughs, With hollow sighs, or harrowing groans, tr I think They are maligned—the poor old dead ! Could they return from that cold river- brink, They would not waste their time in idle mirth And jests, They would erase the epitaphs Engraved upon their burial stones, Elijak Higginbotham. ANNIVERSARIES OF THE WEEK. Aprit. 18, 1873. DEATH OF BARON VON LIEGIG AT MUNICH, ApRIL 23, 1314. THE ORDER OF THE GARTER, HER GARTER TO THE COUNTESS OF SALISBURY, ORIGIN OF KING EDWARD 111, RETURNING * LIFE: THE JUG AND THE JUGGLER. E entered a corner grocery and set a four quart jug on the counter. “ Molasses?" Inquired the man behind the obstruction. “Rum,” answered the customer. ‘“ Ye see the boys are goin’ off on a little time and as long’s they've furnished team, I agreed to find jig water, so fill her up. There's a little in the jug now, but I want it chotk-a-block.” The groceryman took it down cellar; when he returned he raised it to the counter and said, laconically : “ One dollar seventy-five.” “That's all right. You just charge it up. —Swetmore—live just around the corner. settle Saturday night.” , But the provision dealer said he wasn’t doing business on an eleemosynary basis. If the cash was not forthcoming the trade was off. The man who was going on an excursion used his powers of persuasion in vain. The storekeeper returned to the cellar and emptied three quarts of liquor from the jug into the bung-hole of the barrel from which it was taken. A pedestrian noted a peculiar smile of self satisfaction on the face of the man with the jug as the latter turned the corner, and inquired what was up. “Well,” said he, “1 don’t mind if 1 tell you. You see I had about a quart in the jug when I went in. He put in three quarts more, and when I wanted to hang him up he took it out.. The quart that was in there was water. Now it's three-fourths rum, and makes a very pleasant drink— You know me I'll be in and see?” Francis Zuri Stone. PRESENCE OF MIND. 5 weer Fadder, a shentlemans haf fallen troo de coal hole! Isaac: Clap te cover ofer him kervick, mein sohn, vile I runs for a policemans. Ve must arrest him for tryin’ to steal te coal or he'll sue us for tamages ! APRIL. 25, 1452 B.C. THE FIRST APRIL SHOWER, comicbooks.com