Life, 1893-12-14 · page 5 of 16
Life — December 14, 1893 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 377 This page presents a dramatic scene from Rudyard Kipling's "Characters from the Household of Rudyard Kipling," featuring dialogue between Captain Gassby and Miss Thregan. The illustrations show colonial-era figures in what appears to be India, with palm trees and tropical settings. The satire concerns romantic entanglements and social pretense. Miss Thregan challenges Captain Gassby's claims about his importance, noting he abandoned her for India and now dismisses her acquaintance Emma as beneath him. Gassby responds with patronizing remarks ("little featherweight"), while Miss Thregan punctures his vanity by revealing his actual mediocrity—he's merely "a man, dear, a big, brave man." The humor targets masculine pretension and the self-deceptions of colonial society.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Anda man’s foes shall be they of his 6 CHARACTERS FROM THE HOUSEHOLD OF RUDYARD KIPLING, {Admired by men and feared by women. Of the Pink Hussars. { Engaged to Captain Gadsby. } Private in B Company ' of the Old Regiment. Mas, Hauxsnrn, Cartain Gapsey, Miss Turnecan, Terence MuLvanny, “ Show me the face of Truth," the Sahib said — “Show me its beauty, before I'm dead !"" Look!" said the priest, with unflinching “This is the World, and not Paradise. Look! It is wicked, and erucl, and strong, and wise —A Buddhist Seer. Scere: Verandah of the Threegan house at Simla, A Sine view of the Simla hills and the valley below. Miss Threegan ts seated in a long chair, her eyes on the distant hills and her thoughts in England. In her lap an open letter of many sheets, bearing the London pott- mark, Her revery is broken in upon by footsteps of “a big yellow man with an enormous moustache,” who walks with a cavalry swagger. Tine: A hot afternoon, Cartas Gapsny : Ha—Hmmm! THREEGAN (coming back from England and the hills with retuct- ance): Is that all you have to say ? tat, knewit Oe FF Gavsuy : Come now, dear, be kind to me. 1 know you like this hour to yourself, but the club's deserted and all Simla is taking its after- foon nap, and I'm desperately lonely. Dear old Mafffin has just gone back to the plains and I miss him awful. Miss THREEGAN (fettishly) : 1 half believe you care more for that Captain Mafflin than you do for me, and, when we're married, I won't have it (Capping her feot). | 1on't have it, sir. Gapsny (concitiating) : 1 say, little feather- weight, you won't be hard on Jack, will you ? He saved my life at Amdheran, If it had not been for Jack, sweetheart, you'd be engaged to another man, Miss THREEGAN (indignantly): Never! How dare you hint at such a thing? We were always intended for each other, It was pre— pre— Gavsny: Predestinated, and Jack was the divine instrument, So there ! Miss THREEGAN : Oh, still care for Jack a little, if you'll let mma, and tell her all my well, you may me always love dear secrets, Gansny: What, that little Deercourt thing who used to make fun of me to my face? Never, She's in England, isn’t she, now ? never! Miss THREEGAN: Yes, and this is a lovely, long letter from her. Do you know, Pip, 1 think she's in love with Captain MafMlin—just a little bit ? Gapsny th warmth): The litle minx— hardly out of the nursery and short dresses. Outrageous. Why, Jack isa man, dear, a biz brave man. Miss THrer AN (styl): Emma may be a comicbooks.com