Life, 1895-03-21 · page 8 of 18
Life — March 21, 1895 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine contains **Aesop's Fables**—moral tales using animal characters—rather than political cartoons. The three sketches on the right illustrate "One of His First Experiences with Golf," showing a beginner's comical struggles with the sport. The fables on the left are brief satirical stories with morals targeting contemporary issues: counterfeiting, Congressional incompetence, foolish lawmakers, stock market speculation, political nepotism, and agricultural hardship. Each concludes with a pointed moral lesson. The golf illustrations use visual humor to mock amateur golfers' awkwardness—a relatable subject for *Life's* educated readership. The page blends traditional fable morality with topical social criticism typical of early 20th-century American satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
* LIFE = ALSOPP’S FABLES. CERTAIN Man was cunning at engraving. Being debased by Wicked Conversation, he engaged in Counterfeiting by altering Bank Notes. He worked steadily at altering Ten Dollar Bills to One Dollar Bills and passing them off on his unsuspecting Neigh- bors. Notwithstanding his Greed and his Toil he went bust, and had to apply for a Pension on the ground of Partial Mental Disability. Moral. A Greenback Dollar should not buy at the Treas- ury a Gold Dollar more than once. . . . MULE one day said: “I will no longer work for my Masters, but will run this Farm mysel| At the End of the Day the Mule had damaged such of the Farm as he had given his Attention to, and had neglected the Remainder, besides getting badly entangled in a Wire Fence. Moral. \tis well that Congress has adjourned. . . * LAWYER, sitting in the Council, heard a foolish Law proposed. He was tempted to rise and to explain its Foolishness, but Wiser Thoughts prevailed and he voted for the Foolishness to become one of the Laws of the Land. Moral. The wise Lawyer sows Fee seeds on every way- side. . . . GREEDY Man told his Broker to buy him a Hundred Shares of Sugar for a Flier. The Broker being an Ass Sold them instead of buying. The Stock went down Three Points. Moral. A Blind Hog sometimes gets an Acorn. . . * PROMINENT Free Coinage Statesman, having mar- ried a Mayor's Daughter, expressed Surprise at the length of his Children’s Ears, and was asked by a noted Horse raiser what else he expected from the Union. Moral. Iisa poor rule that won't work both ways. AS Agricultural Rooster with a full crop was asked by a Farmer how he felt these hard times.“ Like a Four- Year-Old,” he answered. And the next Day he was masquerading at a Boarding House Dinner as Spring Chicken. Moral. A full man should play sick. LOOKING AFTER THE TRIFLES. ss I" is only by looking closely after the trifles that a profit can be n ii s s of close competition,” said the grocer to his new assistant. » L understand,” replied the boy. ample,” continued his employer, “when you pick out of the sugar, don’t throw them away. Put them among the currants.” ONE OF HIS FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH GOLF.