Life, 1895-06-20 · page 13 of 16
Life — June 20, 1895 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of Life's humor: **"An Elopement"** (left): A visual joke about changing courtship customs. The dramatic, classical elopement scene contrasts with the caption "How differently we do it nowadays!"—suggesting modern romance lacks the romantic grandeur of earlier eras. **"Just the Thing"** (top right): A humorous poem about a proposal where the woman simply shakes her head "up and down" instead of speaking. The joke plays on ambiguous body language—her nodding could mean yes or no, leaving the suitor hopeful but uncertain. **"The Stumbling-Block"** (center): A satirical legal dialogue. A Continental nobleman (referred to as "Count") seeks to sue his father-in-law for non-support, hoping to profit from family mismanagement. The lawyer agrees grounds exist—until revealing his retainer must be paid upfront. The joke mocks both the Count's mercenary opportunism and lawyers' mercenary nature. All three pieces use humor to critique social pretension, romantic uncertainty, and legal chicanery.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘YOU DO NOT LIKE ANY OF THOSE PATTERNS, LADIES? HERE IS ONE THAT MAY PLEASE YoU.” JUST THE THING. HEN I proposed she did not blush, She simply shook her head, and yet And not one word she said. No man in all the town The maiden did not tell me yes— Could be more pleased than I was, for She simply shook her head. She shook it up and down, THE STUMBLING-BLOCK. 6€ (HE manner in which my father-in-law has treated me,” said the Count, “is shameful. He has allowed my debts to accumulate ; my monthly remittances have fallen into arrears ; he has left me penniless.” “ But,” said the lawyer, “ that is not sufficient ground for divorce.” “T don't want a divorce,” said the Count.“ But can’t I sue my father- in-law for damages? Has he not violated an implied contract?” “Oh! yes,” replied the lawyer.“ You can prove cruelty and abandon- A ment and non-support.” GF VSM “ You see no obstacle, then, to commencing such an action at once?” AN ELOPEMENT. “ None—except that my retainer is payable in advance.” HOW DIFFERENTLY WE DO IT NOWADAYS! But the Count strode haughtily from the room. comicbooks.com