Life, 1896-09-03 · page 12 of 18
Life — September 3, 1896 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page Analysis This page contains satirical social commentary typical of Life's format. The top cartoon, "A Couple of Well-Known Scorchers," depicts fashionable young people (likely wealthy New Yorkers) engaging in reckless behavior—"scorchers" being slang for those who drove or cycled dangerously fast. The main text, "Interesting from Newport," mocks the social pretensions of Newport's elite, particularly the Van Alen and Astor families. Life sarcastically praises their ability to attend cotillons (formal dances) and recover from wealthy excess, with barbed references to their digestions after hot-weather festivities. The tone suggests these ultra-wealthy families receive disproportionate press coverage simply for existing. The lower illustrations appear to be literary or theatrical references—one showing a figure on a rock, another a dialogue about happiness and thirst. Overall, the page satirizes Gilded Age excess, celebrity coverage of the ultra-wealthy, and their trivial social activities presented as newsworthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A COUPLE OF WELL-KNOWN SCORCHERS. four or five bags to a porter. walked into the hall. The tall fellow. turned and Fanny looked at me and I looked at her ; and just then he stood in the doorway looking at us. “Billy, you old fool,” I said, as I squeezed his hand and pushed him into a seat. ‘ Don’t be a fool any longer ; Fanny is tired of being one, too.” Then I went off to the cafe to tell Seixas that in view of our present strained relations with Spain he had better not presume too much on the good nature of a certain athletic young American named Billy Ashe. Louis Evan Si INTERESTING FROM NEWPORT. LI a recent issue of a prominent daily we saw that Mrs, William Astor and Mrs. and Miss Grinnell assisted Mr. Van Alen and his daughter to receive. The cotillon, which was led by Mr, Elisha Dyer, Jr., and Miss Van Alen, was danced after sup- per. The favors were attractive, including fancy walking sticks, fans, handsomely trimmed hats, riding whips, decorated with rib- ns, and various knickknacks. All good republicans, and even sound money democra' will be glad to know that Mr. Van Alen and Mr. Elish: Dyer, Jr., are able to be up and dancing. We trust both di- gestions are good and that they are none the worse for the hot weather. As for Mrs. William Astor and Miss Van Alen it is needless to state that we are delighted whenever their names appear in print. Mrs. and Miss Grinnell we came near forgetting, but they are no less important than the others and their names should be published just as often. gy g [ahaway : What is your idea of happiness? Toperty: Continually satisfying a thirst you are unable to quench. Rufian on Rock: BY ALL. THE POWERS ABOVE, IT 18 ME RIVAL A CARRYIN' A BOOKAY TO MERCEDITA, HE SHILL BE TOOK AN’ HELD FOR A RANSOM, THE NIGHT OWL HATH SHROKED HIS SHRIEK, AN’ THE RAVEN HATH RAVED HIS RA FOR THOU AN’ THEE ONLY, MERCEDITA, DO I DO THESE THI Tableau, comicbooks.com