Life, 1892-06-30 · page 12 of 19
Life — June 30, 1892 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Satire Analysis: Life Magazine Page This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: 1. **"The Fool of the Season"**: A brief verse mocking someone who shoots a gun carelessly, claiming ignorance ("didn't know 'twas loaded")—satirizing negligent or reckless behavior. 2. **"Little Jim's Composition on Kickers"**: A humorous tall tale where a stubborn mule refuses to kick a stranger upon learning he's a Farmers' Alliance member. This satirizes the **Farmers' Alliance movement** (a late-1880s agrarian political organization) as so formidable that even a famously aggressive mule fears it—mocking the Alliance's growing political power and influence. 3. **"He Does Say It"**: A fishing joke about a man wishing he could tell his wife he caught fish, implying he typically returns empty-handed. The page also includes historical anniversary illustrations for June 29, 1878 (Dover-Deal Railway) and July 4, 1776 (Declaration of Independence), plus a brief dialogue featuring "Uncle Ebony" in period dialect humor. The dominant satire targets the Farmers' Alliance as a formidable political force worth fearing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE FOOL OF THE SEASON. O celebrate he points your way The ancient gun corroded; And as you die you hear him say He didn't know ‘twas loaded. LITTLE JIM'S COMPOSITION ON “KICKERS.” NE time there was a wall-eyed ole mule which was a kicker from way back. He'd work steady an’ wear a benine smile for 29 days jist to git to kick his master gally- west on the 30th. He'd grone an’ ackt sick all day layin’ loc till some humane person came up to pity him an’ then he'd let out them hind legs of his'n an’ kick the humane person into the middle of next week. Then he'd keerlessly flick a fly offen his south ear an’ grin peaceful, as much as to say: “Hain't [a loller?” Well, one day a sorrerful lookin’ stranger drest in grizzly whiskers an’ hard red hands drifted in between a Jackson wagon an’ this here mule’s caboose end, an’ the mule wunk his good eye an’ says : “Jest lay loe an’ watch yer uncle kick this here unsofisty- kated ole jiboose through that Jackson wagon without scuffin’ the varnish.” “You ortn’t to kick me,” says the stranger, “I alwers was a friend of your’n.” “ How's that?" asked the mule. “Well,” says the man, “I'm a member of the Farmers’ Alliance, an’ | alwers——" “ Knuff said!" says the mule, takin’ off his hat an’ handin’ the man a Hennery Clay segar. “ Good-bye, Kernel! Looks kinder like rain.” An’ the stranger went away. “Good Lord!" says the mule, tremblin’ all over, “ What a narrer escape. “I'm some on the kick, myself, but I hain’t in it with no Farmers’ Alliance statesman.” HE DOES SAY IT. Innocent Isaac (who has been fishing for hours with no lucky: 1 WOULDN'T MIND IT IF I COULD ONLY SAY TO MY WIFE WHEN I GET HOME THAT I HAD TWo OR THREE Goop piTES! ANNIVERSARIES OF THE WEEK. JUNE 29, 1878. DOVER AND DEAL RAILWAY INAUGURATED BY JULY 4, 1776. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE SIGNED. D*sHaway : Seems to me, Uncle, that's a pretty nice suit of clothes you are wearing. UncLe Epoxy: Yes, sah. Dat suit ob clothes was guv ter me by de wife of de geman dat stood behin’ my mule. comicbooks.com