Life, 1894-12-20 · page 13 of 14
Life — December 20, 1894 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Misfits" - Life Magazine Satire Analysis This page presents several short humorous pieces satirizing everyday life's ironies. **Main feature "Misfits"**: Two aspiring poets submit work to an editor on the same day. One signs as "Obadiah McFazzle" and writes a serious, romantic poem about love and forgetfulness. The other signs as "J. Cecil Francesca" and writes a crude, comedic poem about Miss Mary McGuire lighting a fire with kerosene and dying. The satire's point: the serious romantic poet has a ridiculous name (McFazzle), while the humorous poet has a feminine-sounding name (Cecil Francesca). The caption notes they could have "basked in success by simply trading names"—their apparent misfits are their names, not their talents. **Supporting jokes** mock workplace absurdity (the labor problem with a "walking delegate"), and marital "compromise" where one party gets their way entirely. The illustrations show whimsical creatures and beach scenes, reinforcing the lighthearted tone of these observations about life's small failures and coincidences.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
403 MISFITS. HE saddest things that the observer of mun- dane matters has to contemplate are the misfits of life. Some little failure to connect, some slight misproportion in what seems an_ utterly unimportant cog in the wheels of destiny compels ambition to halt. To an editor's desk there came one day two poems. One was signed, “Obadiah McFazzle.” The poem that he had written was : REVERIE. At twilight, where the mists drew nigh To scan the mirror of the lake, We wandered, happy, you and I, And dreamed ; nor knew that we must wake. This was not love. You told me so. Yet oft I think Forgetfulness Would confidently, long ago Have claimed a feeling which was less, The other poem was different. It was signed, “J. Cecil Francesca,” and read: Miss Mary McGuire Once lighted the fire With kerosene. What a mistake ! We remember her yet With a sigh of regret That she couldn't be back for the wake. So are the threads of fate tangled, and two men made miserable when they could have basked in the sunshine of success by simply trading names. Philander Johnson, DIFFICULT OF SOLUTION. OTLING: I have a labor problem for you. DIMLING: Go ahead. ‘G: If four men can do a piece of work in seven di how long will it take six men and a walking delegate ? HE WANTED TO KNOW. ONES: What did you mean by giving me J this cigar ? Brow What's wrong with it? * Nothing.” SATISFACTORILY ARRANGED. ONES: My wife prefers linen sheets and 1 J prefer cotton. ROBINSON: How do you manage ? Jon Oh, we compromise. Ropinson : How's that? Jones: Well, we—er—compromise on cotton,