Life, 1893-10-05 · page 11 of 16
Life — October 5, 1893 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 219 This page contains three satirical pieces about women and romance: **"Feminine Trials"** shows a bride waiting at an altar—a visual joke about the nervous anticipation of marriage. **"Her Secret Grief"** is a poem by Elizabeth G. Jordan suggesting a young woman appears cheerful but harbors "bitter sorrow," implying disappointment in her romantic prospects or social standing despite her mother's social success ("a belle") and numerous admirers. **"Those Amenities"** features dialogue mocking women's appearance and aging. Louise compliments Marie's beauty and resemblance to a friend, while Mr. Lingalate dismissively notes that "everything goes" with age—a backhanded insult about women's declining looks over time. The cartoons satirize period attitudes toward female beauty, marriage anxiety, and women's social value tied entirely to attractiveness and marriageability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FEMININE TRIALS, THE BRIDE IS MADE TO Walt. THOSE AMENITIES. Louse (of Washington): Do you know that ever since | have known you you have reminded me so much of one of my best friends at home. The resemblance is quite striking. Your nose and mouth, for instance, are precisely like hers. She's an awfully pretty girl, too. LuLu (of New York): Really, you flatter me. Lou Yes, indeed, she is regarded as one of the greatest beauties in Wash- ington, And, (musingly) it’s rather remarkable, too, for Marie hasn't a single good feature in her face. Oh, well, Miss Marie, in this age, you know, M® LINGALATE (jocosely) : everything goes. Miss MARIE (glancing wearily at the clock): Some things don’t. RUNNING INTO FLESH, HER SECRET GRIEF. OU may think when first you see her That she's really rather gay, For her dimples are bewitching And she has a taking way. And her father is a banker, And her mother was a belle, And the list of her adorers Numbers many a Gotham swell. But in truth a bitter sorrow Clouds the life of this young dame— She must live in Philadelphia! What to her is wealth or fame ? Elizabeth G. Jordan LERK AT THE DESK: This is a bad half-dollar, sir. Jones: That's all right. bad dinner, too. I hada A VERY WAISTFUL GIRL.