Life, 1893-06-22 · page 12 of 14
Life — June 22, 1893 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 402: Victorian-Era Satire This page contains three separate humor pieces typical of early Life magazine's satirical style: **"He Was One of Them"** mocks church social conventions—a stranger remains seated after services, claiming the minister asked "the Board" to stay. His punchline ("I am one of the bored") jokes about enduring tedious church gatherings. **"A Proud Father"** satirizes how new parenthood changes men's personalities. Jones never speaks anymore because his baby weighed fifteen pounds—implying he's exhausted or preoccupied to the point of becoming antisocial. **"Didn't Know It"** plays on marriage's financial realities: a man was "well off before marriage" but didn't realize poverty would follow. **"A French Play Condensed"** parodies the overwrought melodrama of French theater—a tangled love triangle where characters bizarrely accept infidelity through excessive sentiment, with everyone weeping and embracing. The satire targets the genre's emotional excess and absurd plotting. These pieces reflect turn-of-century American attitudes toward domesticity, social obligation, and Continental theatrical pretension.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SUSPENDED ANIMATION. HE WAS ONE OF THEM. “ TR Board will please remain after the congregation is dismissed,” said the Reverend Mr. Harps. After the congregation had filed out, the minister observed that a stranger still kept his seat. “ Ah, my friend, did you wish to see me? man. a “Not particularly,” replied the stranger. “Then, pardon me, but why are you waiting ?” “ Because you asked me to stay.” “Lam sorry, but you are mistaken. remain.” “ Well, | am one of the bored.” ” asked the good I asked the Board to A PROUD FATHER. PoBREsier: What's the matter with Jones? He never speaks to a body now. LANCASTER: fifteen pounds. Of course not. Their new baby weighed DION'T KNOW IT. “BUT VOU WERE WELL OFF BEFORE YOU WERE MARRIED.” “Yes; put I pipn‘t KNOw IT.” The Unmarried One: MODERATE CIRCUMSTANCES CAN BE HAPPY. Jack 18 NOT RICH, BUT THEN ONE IN Dox't you THINK so? The Married One: YES, BUT NOT TWO, DEAR. A FRENCH PLAY CONDENSED. SCENE I, ENRI: O, my poor friend, it is true! wife and she loves me. PierRE: My God! Is it so? and she returns your love ? from her own lips. I love your You love my Mathilde Come with me; I must know it SCENE II. PIERRE: Is it true, Mathilde? Do you love Henri? MATHILDE: Ah, my poor husband. it is too true! I do! Pierre: And you love Mathilde, Henri? Henri: My God! Yes. PreRRE: O that my life should be so blasted! But cannot stand in the way of two such loving hearts. Take her, Henri. Go to his arms, Mathilde. MATHILDE: Never! Only a minute ago | loved Henri. Now I love you, only you, Your generosity has overwhelmed me. Be always thus generous and no one shall take my love from thee. (A// three embrace and shed tears.) W. L Riordan, comicbooks.com