Life, 1892-06-02 · page 6 of 14
Life — June 2, 1892 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 344 **The Main Cartoon (bottom right):** This depicts a street vendor selling portraits labeled "A Look at Venus" for five cents. The joke plays on the double meaning: the vendor is actually selling pictures of an attractive woman (Venus as goddess of beauty), but customers might expect an astronomical image of the planet Venus. The caption's punchline suggests the vendor's "portrait" is more amusing than actual astronomy. **The Historical Vignettes (top and middle left):** These commemorate anniversary dates: the 1858 Eddystone Lighthouse cornerstone and King Henry VIII's 1525 suppression of monasteries. **The Editorial Section (right side):** Contains a brief item about Mayor Grant declining re-election, with LIFE's commentary suggesting his leadership hasn't been particularly notable or objectionable. **The Offensive Dialogue (bottom left):** A stereotypical joke about Jewish people and finger-counting—representative of period anti-Semitic content common in early 20th-century American publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUNE t, 1881, THE CORNER STONE OF EDDYSTONE LIGHTHOUSE WAS PLACED BY JUNE 7, 1525. KING HENRY VIII. ES THE SUPPRESSION OF SMALL AYOR GRANT an- nounces that he will not be a candidate for re-election. Lire thinks that the gentlemen at whose command he says this are making a mistake, He has been an amiable representative of his bosses, and even if he has done nothing to distinguish him- self, he has done nothing to annoy them. And the good citizens of New York, knowing the characteristics of the stork family, would rather keep King Log in office. You know how suspicious some Jews are? No; are they ? I knew two who always counted their fingers after they shook hands with each other. MITH Jon SMITH: Tour: We do not give tips on the races. Read the Mail and Ex- press. L.S.: No, The last six horses that died in the stables of the Fifth Avenue Stage Company were not killed by kindness. Duettist: However dirty and ignoble your behavior, if you can only shoot some lead into another man’s body your honor will be vindicated, J. D. V., Smith's Mills, Pa.: The best agricultural authorities do not recommend frozen absinthe as a steady tipple for laying hens. An occasional drink of champagne cup will not hurt them. Davin B.: We have changed your address on our mailing list to Salt Creek, Utah. Benjamin, Washington: We have also heard that Secretary B.'s health is improving. We would not recommend cold poison, It will serve your purpose quite as well if you could get him to switch off to the Faith Cure. SumMER Girt: We do not think it immodest. The point of view depends upon the environment. A bathing ‘suit that seems scant at home looks very different at Narragansett Pier, SATE “SAY, MISTER, IS THAT THE REAL Wenus?” “YES, GENT, AND ONLY FIVE CENTS A PEEP.” “HERE'S TEN CENTS FOR TWO PEEPS, YOUNG MAN, I SEED HER PORTRAIT DOWN IN A BROADWAY PICTURE STORE, AND I'M BE- GINNIN' TO THINK ASTRONOMY MUST BE MORE AMOOSIN' THAN FOLKS GENERALLY SUPPOSE.” comicbooks.com