Life, 1896-04-23 · page 3 of 20
Life — April 23, 1896 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page from *Life* magazine (Volume XXVII, Number 695) contains humorous domestic sketches rather than political cartoons. **"Solid Food"** depicts a St. Louis hostess apologizing for serving plain water instead of fancier refreshment, while a guest compliments it as "the best I ever ate"—satirizing either the guest's politeness or questionable taste. **"Retiring"** shows a mistress scolding a servant for entertaining a young man in the kitchen, with his bashful reply about propriety—poking fun at rigid Victorian social conventions and class hierarchies. The final aphorism about men being "rarely as good as he could be" offers gentle social commentary. The small illustration labeled "A Bit of Passe[d] Li[fe]" appears decorative. Overall, this page contains lighthearted domestic humor rather than political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Hetress; YOU ARE WRONG WHEN YOU SAY HE HAS NO IDEA OF THE VALUE OF MONEY, THE FELLOW HAS PROPOSED TO ME TWICE. SOLID FOOD. if HE Sr. Louis Hostess: I am afraid you will find our dear | Missouri water rather unpleasant to your taste. Guest: Not at all, Madame. It's the best I ever ate. RETIRING. ISTRESS: Mary, I don't approve of your entertaining your young man in the kitchen. “Well, mum, he’s too shy to come in the parlor.” “THE man who is not so bad as he might be, is rarely as good as he could be. A BIT OF PasseD L. comicbooks.com