Life, 1892-09-15 · page 12 of 18
Life — September 15, 1892 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 152 This page contains several satirical pieces typical of the 1880s American humor magazine: **Top section**: A serious critique of New York's opera house (likely the Metropolitan Opera House, completed 1883), designed by architect J. Cleaveland Cady who allegedly had no theater experience. The writer sarcastically suggests its poor acoustics and design warrant demolition rather than restoration. **Middle cartoons**: - A child's biblical question joke about pigs and demons (referencing the Gospel account of demon-possessed swine) - A drunk man climbing stairs at 2 AM—a common Victorian music-hall comedy scenario **Bottom cartoon**: A street vendor without signage, mocked by an onlooker for assuming his appearance alone identifies his wares—social satire about working-class commerce. **Sidebar**: Historical "anniversaries" note a 1813 Turkish military disaster and an 1880 London goat exhibition—filler content typical of the era. The page blends gentle domestic humor, architectural criticism, and working-class mockery characteristic of 19th-century satirical magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IT IS WORTH CONSIDERATION. “A EW YORK is probably the only city in the world that possesses an opera house designed by a man who had never been inside a the- atre. The results were in perfect harmony with the extraordinary condition, The auditorium was poor and thin in effect, monotonous, and inexcusably hard in its lines. No amount of decora- tion could ever have made it an architectural credit to any community. Peace to its ashes. But since it is practically destroyed, let us hope that no money will be wasted in restoring it. Give the funds to some architect less orthodox if necessary, but more familiar with the requirements of the problem, OBBY: Mamma, Jews are not allowed to eat pork, are they ? MOTHER: No, my child. Boppy: Well, what did they keep those pigs for that had devils cast into them ? S€-HAT'S another story!" exclaimed Jagway, as he with difficulty reached the top of the second flight of stairs, at two in the morning. “WELL, MY STARS, DON'T HE SUPPOSE PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT HE IS WITHOUT NEEDIN' A SIGN TO FOLLER HIM 'ROUND?” ‘LIFE: ANNIVERSARIES OF THE WEEK. SEPTEMBER 14TH, 1813, A TURKISH CORPS ON A SMALL ISLAND SURPRISED BY AN OVER: FLOW OF THE DANUBE, SEPTEMBER 16TH, 1880, GOAT SHOW OPENED AT ALEXANDRA PALACE, LONDON. “A LITTLE DOWN IN THE MOUTH.” “TH "An ible lit But e nd, exc “Wh “Dot at the | “No, fe perba: oe resent, a “tw puatry, pr the ba he barn fi ed tongue ce. Ta: bis slo ke Ts be busine “Be ju ou aim tve th ould se im with ‘hup. comicbooks.com