Life, 1894-03-15 · page 11 of 16
Life — March 15, 1894 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 171 The page contains two distinct pieces: **"The Modern Saint"** — a poem with accompanying illustration depicting a woman in dark clothing in what appears to be a cable car. The poem contrasts painted saints of old (with "almond eyes" and "halos") to modern "saints" characterized by "big and brown" eyes, who bear the world's "crushing, wearing" burden and give "Life" to the sick. This appears to satirize contemporary women, likely nurses or social workers, as modern equivalents of religious saints — celebrating their self-sacrifice while critiquing the exhausting demands placed upon them. The narrative prose on the right depicts a crowded cable car with passengers discussing two entertaining ladies. It's a brief social vignette capturing urban transit life and gossip, though the specific reference is unclear without additional context.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LEFT HERE wok } BE SENT TO THE [HOSPITA THE MODERN SAINT. AINTED saint on frescoed wall. Of the very long ago, Almond eyes and figure tall, Draperies that softly fall, Halo all aglow, In her time she did her part Giving life to fainting art. But to-day, in modern town, Modern saint in stylish gown, Almond eyes grown big and brown Gazing on the strife Of the old world, crushing, wearing, Haloed by the headlight glaring, To the sick gives Lire. 171 SHE WAS ALLOW- ED TO REMAIN, WO ladies sat near the door of the cable car, and a third, who was unable to ob- tain a seat, braced herself against the door frame. “Move up to- ward the front, please,” said the conductor to the standing one. She did not notice him. “Madam, please move up a little way,” he repeated. She gave no sign »..f having heard.,, ou. Won't) you move up a lity?” he said again, after a pause, “Were you speak- ing to me?” the standing lady an- swered. “Yes, madam, You must move away from the door. There’s plenty of room farther up.” “O, please let me stay here alittle while longer—say about two blocks. These two ladies are talking so enter- tainingly, and I'm just crazy to findout whether it was the butler that the fleshy one's daugh- ter married, or only aman named But- ler, I think I can find out in the next two or three minutes.” He allowed her to remain, The car rolled on.