Life, 1896-05-28 · page 9 of 28
Life — May 28, 1896 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Fables for the Times" - Life Magazine, Page 429 This page presents three satirical pieces targeting contemporary society: **"The Merchant and the Fool"** (top illustration): A horse merchant meets a self-proclaimed fool on the road. The fool claims ten years' experience in "pay-on-publication journalism"—apparently believing this constitutes business expertise. The merchant's exasperated reaction ("where in the realm of idiocy did you get your knowledge?") mocks the fool's misplaced confidence. The satire targets incompetent publishers or journalists of the era. **Lower cartoons and brief quips** mock various social pretensions: a department store customer's vapid taste, overconsumption, and marital advice suggesting the Metropolitan Club as a cure for domestic isolation. The overall theme: exposing foolishness hiding behind modern institutions and fashionable pursuits. The style is typical early-20th-century American satirical humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: FABLES FOR THE TIMES. THE MERCHANT AND THE FOOL. MERCHANT of horses was driving his stock to the mar- ket. On the road he met a venerable old fool, who offered to buy his entire stock. “It is this way,” said the intended purchaser, ‘‘I will take your horses now, and whenever I find use for one, will send you the money for it.” “‘Now the gods be lenient to folly!" exclaimed the in- dignant merchant. ‘‘ Man, Man! where inthe realm of idiocy did you get your knowledge of business?” ‘I ran a-pay-on-publication journal for ten years,” said the fool with asperity. But the merchant had vanished in a cloud of oaths and dust. H.W. Phillips. IN A DEPARTMENT STORE, 6c“ J WANT something nice in oil for a dining-room.” “Yes, Madam. A landscape or a box of sardines?” HE man who bites off more than he can chew is not so numerous as he who swallows more than he can digest. OCTOR: {Your husband is altogether too much alone. He is getting moody and it may lead to something worse. You must force him into the society of others, Wire: But how can I do this? _ “Get him to resign from the Metropolitan Club.” comicbooks.com