Life, 1893-11-16 · page 3 of 14
Life — November 16, 1893 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XXII, Number 568) The main editorial content criticizes the Princess of Wales for wearing bird feathers in her headwear. The article argues this practice—requiring slaughter of songbirds and exotic species—reflects savage instincts incompatible with civilized society. It sarcastically suggests that even the Princess, like other women, has an obligation to "bedeck her person," implying women's vanity drives this cruel fashion trend. The accompanying illustrations appear to be unrelated humorous sketches labeled "Poker Terms" ("Making Good," "Shy," "A Fat Hand"), depicting people in various social situations—likely generic comic vignettes rather than political commentary. The satire targets fashionable women's complicity in animal cruelty through their demand for decorative feathers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME Xxil. e L | F E . NUMBER 568. » J OW arises again, this time in London, the eternal POKER TERMS. question of the justifiability of wearing birds’ feathers in the trimming of feminine head- \ gear. It seems that in the Princess of Wales's. autumn outtit there were a number of hats > adorned with choice specimens of plumage. This raised the usual criticism from the y,_ friends of the birds, and retort was made ..-| that the feathers were only such as are * obtained from birds and poultry used for - human food. ad LIFE supposes that the Princess of Wales is a good deal like other women, with perhaps even greater obligation hand- somely to bedeck her person. If afew feathered songsters and beauties have to be slaughtered to this end, it only goes to show with special em- phasis that the sex is still under the sway of savage instincts, The tendency to deck one’s self with feathers, with bits of shiny metal and glittering . is a survival of our savage origin, and its continuance among women will hold until a greater degree of civilization and a broader mentality imbues “MAKING GOOD.” SS, (reading): THEN HE TOOK HISSELF TO A CAVE IN THE MOUNTING'S SIDE, CLOSE TO HE SHAVED OFF HIS HEAD AN’ DISGUISED HISSELF WID SIDE WISKERS " WEN NIGHT COME ON HE WOULD C RUM IIIS CAVE AN’ WID HIS. IFE AGLEAMIN’ IN THE MOONLIGHT—TO BE CONTINUED IN OUR NEXT. Chorus: ON, WHAT A SHAME! “hk PAT HAND.” comicbooks.com