Life, 1895-05-30 · page 11 of 22
Life — May 30, 1895 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 357 This page is primarily a tribute to **Minerva**, the office cat at Life magazine's headquarters. The text describes how Minerva had been a beloved fixture for nearly three years, admired by visitors and staff who occasionally petted her despite her sometimes aloof demeanor. The narrative describes Minerva's death—she was discovered lifeless between two radiators in a storage room. The piece celebrates her as "a good cat" and expresses wishes for her happiness in "happy hunting grounds." The bottom section contains unrelated satirical content: a brief comic dialogue titled "Precautionary" about someone named Bill, and a separate humorous exchange titled "A Wish" regarding engagement ring customs. The sketches throughout illustrate Minerva and the office staff.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE * authority was unquestioned, and who was always and under all conditions treated with respect. Last Thursday morning when the doors were unlocked no cat came forward with friendly greeting. As the hours wore on and still she made no appearance, a search was instituted. In a store-room on the lower MINERVA. floor our unfortunate 'OR nearly three years vis- friend was finally. dis- itorsto LiFE’s offices have covered, where she had had the pleasure of admiring _ fallen between two radiators, helpless and immovable. Life \ an exceptionally handsome Was extinct. cat. A favored few have She is already missed, and there were moist eyes in this stroked her, and even establishment when the some have been rubbed ‘ rd sad news was passed against. She was haughty Mage? around. and sometimes distant in iar z The person at manner, and there were 3 Ua the end of this many who felt that Min- . Z pen looks down erva had a cold heart, but : at the present to us who knew her inti- —<— = moment to an mately she was not without os % ag open sunlit affection, ——s i drawer beside It is safe to say that in this office him in which she was the only being whose Minerva was wont to curl up among proofs of drawings and insist upon a morning nap. When the demands of editorial work required the space she occupied she was carefully lifted out and placed upon the floor, but it was a breach of etiquette that was always resented, amiably however and without bloodshed, and she invariably returned as soon as the editorial hands — were removed from the —_ drawer. In other departments she was still more at home. There was a lofty air of proprietorship about Minerva that brought a mild embarrassment to timid visitors. She was a good cat, and we wish her endless joy and prosperity in the happy hunting grounds for which she so suddenly departed. 3 ay Se A WISH. LBERTA: I do wish it were not the custom to wear the engagement ring only on the third finger of one’s left hand. / ALETHEA: So do I, I can’t get more than PRECAUTIONARY. half my engagement rings on at one time now. “ WHo's HE, BILL?” ——— “T pu I NEVER SEE HIM AFORE!" : HE POET: Have you read my last poem? “WELL, LET'S SLUG HIM, ANYHOW, OR ELSE HE'LL BE PUTTIN’ ON Alks,” SHE: No. Only your first.