Life, 1892-11-17 · page 5 of 19
Life — November 17, 1892 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 279 This page contains three separate satirical pieces: 1. **"Good-bye for the Present, Mercedes"** (top left): Shows figures evicting someone from what appears to be a Chinese laundry, satirizing anti-Chinese sentiment and xenophobic business practices of the era. 2. **"Scenting His Poverty"** (center): A dialogue between characters named Milfred and Edward Smallpay, where Milfred rejects Edward's romantic advances, claiming his worn winter suit and lack of financial means make him unsuitable as a husband. This satirizes class-conscious courtship and materialism in society. 3. **"Quite Different"** (bottom): A brief exchange between Holmes and Wander about living arrangements, appearing to be a humorous non-sequitur. The page primarily satirizes economic class anxiety and shallow social values of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘GooD-BYE FOR THE PRESENT, MERCEDES; WE ARE GOING DOWN TO CLEAR our A CHINESE LAUNDRY.” SCENTING HIS POVERTY. “e HY do you turn away from me, Milfred?”” exclaimed Edward Smallpay in \) agonized tones, as his heart’s treasure dexter- ously evaded his em- brace. “Have I suddenly grown repulsive to you? This is not the way you used to treat me in the country. Have you forgotten the ‘yes’ you whis- pered so timidly down in the lane by the big walnut tree? Have you for- gotten all the vows you repeated on subsequent occasions? Have those pledges become distasteful to you; do you now seek to be released from them?” Milfred averted her head. “ This is very painful, Edward, but I must admit I do.” “But, why? Will you give me no reason? Am I not the same as | was last summer?” “Yes,” replied Milfred, moving slowly backward ; “ but—but circum- stances have arisen——” “ Ah, you love another!" cried Edward, advancing toward her. “No,” answered Milfred, as she drew nervously away from him, “ No, Edward, 1 do not! But when a young man wears, while calling upon a girl, an ostensibly new winter suit which smells strongly and unmistakably of tar camphor, | am compelled to entertain grave and serious doubts of his ability to support a wife in the style to which I have been accustomed. Here is your ring, Mr. Smallpay. We will say good-bye, now. I want to open the windows and air the room.” QUITE DIFFERENT. OLMES: By the way, Wander, where do you live now? Wanpver: I don’t; 1 board. ‘KEEPING IT UP.” oe 3 Fy vork HREE days on that job; hard work, Tee “ Three on a little job like that?" “Yes, three; two in trying to get to work, and the other on the job.” “ONTO HIS CURVES.” comicbooks.com