Life, 1892-08-04 · page 10 of 16
Life — August 4, 1892 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Usual Story of La Grippe" This page satirizes influenza ("la grippe," a period term for flu). The central illustrations show a well-dressed gentleman observing various disease personifications—grotesque demon-like creatures—representing how illness progresses and affects the body. The sequence depicts the illness's trajectory from initial encounter through full infection, with the final caption "AND IT IS LONG IN LETTING GO" emphasizing the flu's persistence. The right panel shows a sick person begging to "drink of thine eyes" while another illustration depicts someone being thrown out or collapsing, with the final quote "Drink, then, and shut up!" suggesting darkly comic resignation to illness's inevitability. The lower text addresses a plagiarism dispute involving Charles K. Shetterton and *Peterson's Magazine*, establishing this as satirical commentary on both disease and publishing ethics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LTE E - THE USUAL STORY OF LA GRIPPE. 0, let me drink of thine eyes; O, let me drink, O, let me drink — AND IT IS LONG IN LETTING Go, A CANDIDATE FOR THE ROGUES GALLERY. OME verses that recently appeared in Petersen's Magazine, over the signature of Charles K. Shetterton, were originally printed in LiFe, and they were not written by Mr. Shetterton. Of Mr. Shetterton’s habits in regard to bank notes, jewelry and umbrellas we have no positive knowledge, but if this person has any serious objection to being considered a clumsy thief, of a very ignoble type, he will do well to avoid similar appropriations in the future. * Drink, thea, and shut up!" comicbooks.com