Life, 1893-02-16 · page 7 of 16
Life — February 16, 1893 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 103 of Life Magazine - Analysis This page contains two distinct elements: **Upper section:** A poem by Walter Pelham titled "Life" presenting humorous descriptions of various marriageable women—brunettes, widows, school girls—each with stereotypical attributes. The verses mockingly ask "Will you buy?" as if cataloging commodities. This satirizes the marriage market and male attitudes toward women as purchasable goods, common satirical fodder for early 20th-century humor magazines. **Lower section:** Three brief comic dialogues—between a patient and doctor, two characters named Scully and Tiptoe discussing skeletons in closets, and Mrs. Bingo and Bingo about cigars. These appear to be standalone joke vignettes with accompanying illustration, typical filler content for period humor magazines. The illustration depicts a silhouetted figure in profile, likely complementing the marriage-market theme above.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
If the style of wife you're seeking Is with eyes of deepest blue, And enriched with golden tresses, ‘There's the very one for you ! She's indeed a lovely sweetling ; Where can prettier be found ? Blushful, modest, coy, and winning, Voice of most melodious sound. Will you buy this pretty maiden ? Prithee, good sir, will you buy? With love sighs her bosom’s laden, And love's light illumes her eye. If brunette it is you're lacking, One with lips as cherries red, Cheeks aglow with tints of autumn, This is she that ye should wed ! She, indeed, hath face and figure, With which very few compare, Her black eyes are bright as diamonds, She's a maid both rich and rare. Will you buy this charming maiden ? Prithee, good sir, will you buy ? With love-sighs her bosom’s laden, And love's light lurks in her eye. If a widow you are wanting, ‘There's a fascinating one ; Rich in woman's arts and frolics, Bright and witty, full of fun ; ‘There's a captivating figure! Glance at that luxuriant waist ! Far surpassing e’en a Juno's, She is surely to your taste. Will you wed this winsome widow ? Prithee, good sir, will you buy ? With love-sighs her bosom's rising And love's light illumes her eye. If a school miss ye are seeking, *Ere she dawns on womanhood, So that ye may guide and train her In the ways that ye deem good ; Here's a charming little rosebud, Dainty frills and furbelows, Who delights in creams and ices, And a slight refroussé nose. Would you win this pretty school miss? Prithee, good sir, will you buy ? With sweet sighs her heart is laden, And true love illumes her eye ! Walter Pelham. ATIENT: Well, Doctor, how do you find things to- day? Doctor (cheerfully): | feel very much better satisfied. PATIENT: I feel worse than ever. What have you dis- covered that makes you feel so assured ? ‘TOR: Iam satisfied now that the medicine I have been giving you for the last three months has not been doing you a bit of good. 1 was in doubt about it before. CULLY: I suppose nearly everyone has a skeleton his closet. in Tiprop: Oh, yes; we were never without one until we took to living in flats. RS. BINGO: Mother is coming to-morrow. Binco: All right. box of cigars you gave me Christmas. I wish you would hunt up that comicbooks.com