Life, 1892-08-25 · page 7 of 14
Life — August 25, 1892 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 105 This page contains three separate pieces of humor: 1. **"His First Sight of a Flounder"** (top right): A child's question about why fishermen flatten fish, likely mocking children's literal interpretations of cooking methods. 2. **"The Danger of Delay"** (center): A domestic comedy sketch where a woman misidentifies a "pillpallaster" as a "kitterpaller" and "patterkiller." George's relief suggests the woman was alarmed about something trivial—satirizing domestic anxiety and marital miscommunication. 3. **"The Brook and the Willow"** (bottom): A sentimental poem with illustrated vignette titled "A Matter of Taste" showing a well-dressed man. The poem treats nature romantically, while the illustration suggests social satire about refined taste or manners. The page blends humor ranging from innocent wordplay to domestic satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
He: 1 WAVE DECIDED TO ASK YOUR FATHER'S CONSENT BY LETTER, Pautine. Now WHAT SORT OF A LETTER WOULD YOU ADVISE ME TO MAKE IT? She: I THINK, Horace, THAT 1 WOULD MAKE IT AN ANONYMOUS LETTER. THE BROOK AND THE WILLOW. N carly Spring with hurrying feet The brook went merrily by, And the willow bent low his love to greet, rmuring to her, ‘ Kiss me, sweet. ** Make the joy of the Spring complete, “Ere it fly!" With insouciant song She tripped along, And saucily said, ** Not I, not 1. ** So, bare-branched willow, good-bye, “Good-bye! But later, in Summer's withering heat, When streams run parched and dry, The brook went by with languid feet. Then, lifting her lips the willow's to meet, She, pleadingly, murmured, * sweet, “For I dic.” His high-plumed head He tossed, and said, ‘You scorned me once—Not I, not I. “So, fickle brook, good-bye, * Good-bye !” Marguerite Merington. HIS FIRST SIGHT OF A FLOUNDER. FATHER, WHY DOES THAT MAN SIT DOWN ON ALL THE FISH HE CATCHES: AND MASH THEM SO FLAT? THE DANGER OF DELAY. san ORGE!" she screamed. My neck!” “ What's the matter?" “ There's a pillacatter——" “A what?” “ A tappekiller—" “What in the world do you mean?” “Oh, dear,” she moaned, as she clutched him frantically. “A kitter- paller! You know, George! A patterkiller!"" “Oh!” said George, with evident relief, and he proceeded to brush the future butterfly away. “A MATTER OF TASTE,” comicbooks.com