Life, 1894-02-08 · page 3 of 16
Life — February 8, 1894 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XXIII, Number 580) This page contains two satirical pieces: **"The Social Cipher"** lists names of society figures, likely mocking high-society pretension through the mundane roster presentation. **"Nothing to Crow About"** is a dialogue cartoon satirizing Anglo-American relations. A Britisher boasts that "the sun never sets on England's dominions," to which a Yankee responds that England "reminds me of an old hen." The Britisher demands "Why?" and the Yankee concludes: "A hen's son never sets either." The joke plays on "sets"—conflating the sun's perpetual presence with the biological impossibility of a hen's offspring never being born. It's dated humor mocking British imperial pride through a deliberately crude, rural American rejoinder.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XxIll. NUMBER 580. _ LENT BEGINS. THE SOCIAL CIPHER. Mr. and Mrs. HArry Le Grand Cannon Mrs. FRed. Neilson Mrs, S. V. R. CrugEr Mr. Ward McAllister Mrs, Charles Albert StEvens Mrs. I. Townsend Burden Mrs. HeNry Clews Mrs. Geo. L. RIves Mrs. W. K. VanderbilT ? Mrs. Olver Harriman, Jr. Mrs. Henry Sloane Mrs. W. Seward Webb Mrs, Fernando YznAga Mrs, Fred. W. Vanderbilt Mrs, Charles F, HavemEyer Mrs. BuRke-Roche Mrs. Duncan Elliot Mrs, W. D. SloAne Mrs. J. Borden Harri Man Mrs, Paran Stevens ? NOTHING TO CROW ABOUT. ‘6 HE sun never sets on England's dominions,” remarked the boasting Britisher. “England reminds me of an old hen,” responded the Yankee. “ Why ?” demanded the Britisher, angrily. “A hen’s son never sets, either.” HE editor who is always feeling the pulse of the people is not really interested in their heart-beats. It is his own circulation that he is Jooking after. Uncle Josh (on a visit): Wett, MInTA, YOU'VE GROWED so I RECKON You'LL BE A GITTIN' MARRIED AFORE LONG, EH ? Minta: NO, VM GOIN' TO REMAIN SINGLE AN’ BE A SKIRT DANCER AN’ HIGH KICKER. I'VE GOT SO NOW THAT I KIN KICK AS HIGH AS MY HEAD, I COULD TAKE THEM GLASSES OFF YOUR FOREHEAD WITH MY FOOT AN’ NEVER TOUCH YOUR EVEBROw. Do You WANT ME TO DO IT? comicbooks.com