Life, 1892-12-29 · page 3 of 47
Life — December 29, 1892 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis The main illustration shows a couple at a cemetery visiting a grave. The caption indicates this is social satire about Latin phrases on gravestones. The woman (Miss H.) asks what Latin inscriptions mean, and the man (Mr. U., apparently more educated) responds dismissively that Latin is "better than to be known Latin"—suggesting he doesn't understand it either but pretends otherwise. "He went the pace" appears to be a period slang expression implying the deceased lived fast or excessively. Below are two brief comic exchanges: "A Change to Rise" depicts an employment negotiation where an applicant seeks a position with early hours, and "Had Been Paid For" shows workplace banter about old jokes and payment. These are generic workplace humor rather than political satire, typical of Life magazine's miscellaneous comedic content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME Xx. NUMBER Wiss Ho: WWMAT DOES ALL THAT LATIN MEAN ON OLD RAKELY'S GRAVE? Mr. 0. (who knew Kakely better than he knows Latin): We WENT THE PACK.” A CHANCE TO RISE, HAD BEEN PAID FOR. Bj — you left here two weeks ago? Why. those jokes have AppLicanr: Will | have a chance to rise ? been paid for. P I UTCHER: I need a boy about your size, and will give E DITOR: You say you want a check for some jokes you $3.00 a week “Ye: | want you to be here at four o'clock every Mr. CHestnet How long ago, sir ? morning >” “Oh, about fifty or a hundred years, | imagine. comicbooks.com