Life, 1893-09-21 · page 3 of 16
Life — September 21, 1893 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XXIII, Number 560) This page contains two distinct satirical pieces: **"A Liar"**: A comic dialogue where Nobbs boasts about never sleeping or resting during lunch, claiming he finished yesterday's meal only recently. His friend counters by reminding him of a past promise Nobbs made to share his last crust—which Nobbs now conveniently denies, then reverses his story. The satire mocks habitual liars who contradict themselves and lack consistency. **"Inconsistent"**: A doctor-patient scene where Ada asks Elsie if she'll sue a man for breach of promise. Elsie refuses because her lawyer says the defendant signed letters marked "without recourse"—a legal protection preventing lawsuit. The joke satirizes how people use fine print and legal loopholes to escape personal obligations, particularly romantic ones. Both pieces critique character flaws: dishonesty and legal evasion of moral responsibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NUMBER 560. i. OE ae THE LATEST THING IN DUCK TROUSERS. A LIAR. OBBS (40 friend at Stuffen's “quick lunch’): | say, Nobbs, how's business ? Noses: Great! Never saw such a rush, No time to sleep, and way behind on meals. That was day before yesterday's lunch I just fin- ished. “ IDN’T you tell me, when I helped you years ago,” said Downatthe- heel to Upintheair, “that you'd always remember it, and that you'd share your last crust with me?” “Tcertainly di when I get to INCONSISTENT. “WELL, NOW, REMEMBER WHAT I SAID, JUST TAKE YOUR WIFE AND START ON A VACATION.” “BUT, DOCTOR, YOU SPOKE OF rest.” “Say, IF VERS WANTER BE DA: Are you going to sue him for breach of promise ? . . COOL, JUST PUT A LUMP OF ICE EtsiE: No; my lawyer says I haven't any case. You see, Dick always signed his IN EACH POCKET.” letters “ Without recourse.” comicbooks.com