Life, 1896-03-05 · page 5 of 20
Life — March 5, 1896 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 173 **Top Cartoon:** A business inquiry scene where a gentleman asks another how he achieved prosperity, expecting to hear he "started at the bottom and worked up." The response—"No, Sir, I did not. I am a well digger"—is the joke's punchline, playing on the literal meaning of "bottom" in an occupation that involves digging downward. This satirizes assumptions about social mobility and self-made success narratives. **"An Undeserved Reputation" Article:** The text discusses how reputations can result from accident rather than merit, using a tortoise and hare fable analogy. It suggests undeserved credit accumulates through social popularity and anecdotes rather than actual achievement—a critique of how fame functions independent of genuine accomplishment. **Bottom Cartoon:** Depicts children playing on ice, with text suggesting winter activities and potential danger.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“WELL, SIR, YOU LOOK AS THOUGH YOU HAD BEEN PROSPEROUS IN BUSINESS. I SUPPOSE YOU STARTED AT THE BOTTOM AND WORKED UP?” “No, Sir, 1 pip NoT. I AM A WELL DIGGER.” AN UNDESERVED REPUTATION. larity by telling it at his friends’ tables. So, after all is said, the hare turns out to have been the real gainer. This has hitherto been over- looked, but it is just as true as any part of the anecdote, nevertheless. I" is a wise politician who knows when to decline. REPUTATION may be dueto mere accident. For example, there is that old tortoise that has embit- tered so many youths. Writers have vied with each other in holding him up as a model of patient persistence ; poets have sung his praises; children have been brought up to revere his industry ; and, after all, what did he ever do? Suppose that the hare, the despised hare, had post- poned his nap until after he had reached the goal, where would the tortoise have been then? Plodding away somewheres on the road with simply idiotic industry. But the hare wasa sensible fellow. He knew when he wanted a nap, and took it. On the contrary, the tortoise wearily wandered on, There is not the least doubt that his friends invited him to go to the theatres with them, but he hadn't time; tried to tell him the latest story, and he couldn’t stop; invited him to parties, suppers, poker games, etc.,etc., but having conceived the idea that he could beat the hare he had to attend strictly to business. It may be urged by short-sighted people that the tortoise won the race and gained what he was after. True; but all the time he was xrinding away the hare, who was doubtless a delightful chap, was enjoying himself; and, after all, gained exactly what the tortoise, witn all his toil, did. We have no record of any stakes or bets being up, so the race must have been simply for fame ; and all the fame the tortoise acquired the hare shares, it being impossible to mention one “Hi, Ji, COME QUICK IF YOU WANT TER HAVE FUN, HERE'S A without the other. Besides this, the hare must have thoroughly ap- COP A FALLEN ON THE ICE AN’ FAINTED, AN’ EVERY TIME 1 JUMPS preciated the joke himself, and probably added greatly to his popu- ON His STUMMICK IT sou LIKE A STEAM VISTLE 1" comicbooks.co