Life, 1892-05-19 · page 5 of 18
Life — May 19, 1892 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 311 Analysis: Life Magazine Satirical Cartoons This page contains several unrelated satirical sketches typical of Life's format: 1. **"A Good Idea"**: A dyer/cleaner proposes a sign reading "Escutcheons Cleaned"—a pun playing on the word's double meaning (heraldic shields AND disgraceful family reputations). The joke suggests cleaning away family shame. 2. **"A Serious Question"**: A child's innocent dialogue with his mother about whether angels fight or do wrong, with the mother's exasperated response satirizing childhood logic. 3. **"A Champion"**: A street scene showing a child being advised to control his hands or face consequences—depicting rough urban childhood behavior. 4. Other brief comedic dialogues about theater ("The Giants"), food's effects on stage horses, and Cleveland's summer plans. These represent typical early-20th-century American humor—social commentary through wordplay and domestic situations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE: A GOOD IDEA. ‘°F the scions of respectable houses don't stop dis- gracing their families pretty soon,” said the dyer and cleaner, “Tam going to put out a new sign like this: ESCUTCHEO) CLEANED. A SERIOUS QUESTION, OHNNY: Andare the angels always well and don't get cross at all? MaMMA: Yes, Johnny. Jounny: An’ they never fight, nor do anything wrong ? oc MAMMA: No. JouNNY: An’ they always have the same kind of weather, do they ? MAMMA: Yes. (rere JOHNNY (after a moment's pause): Then what in thun- HE: Who are “The Giants” I hear so much about? der do the mamma angels talk about when they go to call Are they ball players? on each other? HE: No, dear. CURIOUS EFFECT PRODUCED BY THE SIGHT OF FOOD ON SOME FirtH AVENUE STAGE HORSES, SAW a man laughing at Punch in a Broadway car the other day.” “Really? Why, it must have been Harry Furniss. He's over here, you know.” “AHEAD OF TIME.” E: Ex-President Cleveland is not going to Marion this Sum- mer. SHE: Why not? HE: He is going to Why, / WILL, AN’ DON'T YER FERGIT IT, NEITHER! Watch Hill. A CHAMPION. Sister: See WERE, JOUNNY FRESH, YER TOO FREE WID YER HANDS, AN’ IF YER DON'T STOP IT YE'LL BE MADE TER! J. Fo: WHO'LL MAKE ME? comicbooks.com