Life, 1894-04-19 · page 6 of 14
Life — April 19, 1894 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 254 Analysis This page combines several unrelated items typical of *Life* magazine's satirical format: **Top section**: A sentimental narrative about a man reuniting with a woman from his past, now married. The story emphasizes romantic regret and lost opportunities—common *Life* themes mocking sentimentality. **"Wobbly" section**: Brief humorous anecdotes, including one about wedding photography logistics and another distinguishing "Croton bug" (landlord's term) from "cockroach" (tenant's term)—class-based humor about shared housing disputes. **Final joke**: A child seeking "P.D.Q." abbreviation in a dictionary—likely a mild pun or wordplay joke, though the specific reference is unclear without additional context. The sketches throughout appear to be illustrative rather than caricatural, depicting everyday scenes without specific political figures or events.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
* LIFE: true,” he went on,“ One day while I was traveling through an unfrequented portion of Italy I met by chance a beautiful girl from Plainfield. For nearly a day after that we were thrown almost constantly together. It is the same old story, Mildred, of —” “And is she your wife?” she demanded, the color grad- ually fading away from her face and leaving it quite ghastly in its pallor. “She is,” he replied brokenly. “ We were married in Paris last month. But Mildred, dear,” he cried passionately, “do not grieve so. Can it be possible that you still love me so? Oh, tell me that this is not true!” With a piercing cry the young girl threw herself prostrate on the sofa. “Oh, why did you not tell me this before?” she moaned. “ No, Edward, it is not that I loved you so much, but now I fear that it is too late.” “ Too late,” he repeated mechanically. “ Why, what can you mean?" “1 mean this,” she cried hysterically. “ Knowing that you were coming back, and believing you to be true to me, this morning, fool that I was, I sent back four elegant engage- ment rings.” Tom Masson, WOBBLY. OBB: I wanted the ushers at my wedding to have their pictures taken right after the breakfast, but it was impossible. Noss: Why? Cops: The photographer couldn't make them stand up together. OOL: What is the difference between a Croton bug and a cockroach ? VAN PeLT: None; the former term is used.by the land- lord, the latter by the tenant. cu OMMY, what are you doing with that big dictionary ?” asked his mother. “T'm looking in the abbreviations for P. D. Q.”