Life, 1893-11-30 · page 3 of 18
Life — November 30, 1893 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XXII, Number 570) **"The American Comedy: But He Had a Good Time"** depicts two well-dressed gentlemen—one thin, one rotund—discussing a dissolute acquaintance. The conversation reveals a man of means who has squandered his fortune on leisure and excess, now living in a hotel room on an allowance from his wife, separated from his family. His son reportedly died young from similar overindulgence. **"The Shady Side of Thanksgiving"** (lower cartoon) shows Lady Liberty seated among skeletal turkeys, darkly suggesting that Thanksgiving's celebration masks suffering—possibly referencing poverty, labor exploitation, or social inequality during the holiday season. Both pieces satirize American prosperity and moral hypocrisy: the wealthy man's "good time" has destroyed his life, while national celebration ignores underlying social hardship.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XxIl. NUMBER $570. ~ TE Gn. THE AMERICAN COMEDY. BUT HE HAD A GooD TIME. Tt old gentleman walks with a good deal of caution? Yes, he does. You see he can’t afford to stub his toe. He isn’t old though ; not sixty yet. His limp is his misfortune then ? Yes, ina way; but he has had a good time, And the complexion of his nose is a little unfortunate too? Yes, but he had a good time coloring tha And he seems somewhat ov ‘LIFE weighted at the waist, and his hair doesn’t look quite natural, but his back is pretty straight still? Stays, I suspect. Is he a wealthy gentleman ? He has been; but it cost money to have such a good time as he has had. And his circumstances are reduced then, now ? I believe his wife makes him an allowance. Where is their home ? He has no home. He has a room in a hotel. has a home. And his children ? Live with their mother,—at least the girls do. a son, but his enjoyment of life began too early. good time though, while he lasted. The gentleman doesn’t live with his family then ? Oh, no; not for years. No fun in that for him. Is he in any business ? Indeed he is; he is in the business of having a good time. And he seems to succeed, does he ? Oh, yes; splendidly. You ought to see him out with some of the younger set. Somehow, he seems to have invested a good deal in his business, don’t you think ? Oh, yes, no doubt; but you can’t expect to pull off much of a time if you are going to haggle over the size of the investment. _ E.S.M. } R. SAUL WRIGHT (afficted with a hand-shaking Jag): How are yeh, ol’ man? (Hic) How ar-r-r? How ar-r? Mr. DAMFINO: Excuse me! You have the ad- vantage of me. I don’t know you. Mr. SAUL WRIGHT: = Thash-all-ri’., No "dvantage ‘t all (hic), I don’t (hic) know youeither, | _ M*: If you were I, what would you do? : Well, first of all, His wife There was He had a I'd let me THE SHADY SIDE OF THANKSGIVING. comicbooks.com