Life, 1896-09-03 · page 5 of 18
Life — September 3, 1896 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 171 Analysis: Life Magazine This page contains three distinct pieces: 1. **"Economy"** and **"At Bay"** stories featuring dialogue about fashion and social encounters—satirizing New York society's pretensions and romantic mishaps among the wealthy. 2. **"A Cross Country Rider"** - A brief aphorism about fame, illustrated with a sketch of a rough-looking man on horseback. 3. **"The Messenger Boy"** - A cartoon labeled "From Life's Recent Discoveries of Early Egyptian Jokes," depicting Egyptian figures in a humorous scene. This is a visual pun: the caption suggests ancient Egypt had "jokes" comparable to modern ones, satirizing both archaeological discoveries and the timelessness of human humor. The overall tone is light satire on American social life and human nature.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE ECONOMY. CMBSSA bought some buttons of a mas- “They were a bargain,” when of her prize she told. todonic mold ; she explained, “T know that they will soon go out of style; but even then I can make them do for pie-pans till their A CROSS COUNTRY RIDER. OW many more people might have been famous if they had only known enough to die at the right time. FROM LIFE’S RECENT DISCOVERIES OF EARLY vogue comes ’round again.” AT BAY. UST look at that woman, in green, up there on the piazza,” said the smart man from New York to the quiet man, trying to strike up a conversation and acquaintance at the same time. “Tse her,” replied the quiet man. “ What about her ?”" **Oh, nothing much,” said the smart man; “only I think she is looking the worst fright Lever saw in my life.” said the other, losing some ot his quietness, “I'll have you understand that the lady you are speaking of is my wife.” The smart man gasped. He seemed non- plused. But only for a moment. He came from New York. “Twas going to say,” he went on, with un- ruffled suavity, ‘if you had not interrupted me, that the lady, in green, on the piazza is looking the worst fright I ever saw in my life—" “How dare you, sir!” burst out the other, losing all his quietness by this time. “— Right square in the face. She issitting THE MESSENGER BOY. 171 right opposite to her,” continued the smart man, without turning a hair. “Then let me tell you, sir, that the lady you now indicate, sitting opposite my wife, is my sister,” snapped the erstwhile pacific personage, squirming in his seat. ‘The smart man looked over at the crowd again, earnestly, and somewhat hopelessly. But he was not beaten yet. “T think,” he said, slowly, ‘you must be speaking of the very pretty girl with pink roses in her hat, I can see she is your sister. Dead image of you. I did not mean her. I was looking at the more elderly party with the dowdy get-up, a few paces from her.” The other man became agitated again. When he found his voice, he said, in cutting accents : “The elderly party, sir, with the dowdy get-up, happens to be my mother.” The smart man rose to his feet. “See here!" he said, shortly, as he turned to leave, ‘I was willing to meet you half way, or even further; and I tried my level best todo it. But you've got altogether too many relatives around for the purposes of ordinary conversation.” Ernest Graham Di RS, SLIMSON: I have abso- lutely forbidden Willie to go near the water, Mrs. TWICKENHAM. “To want him swim.” What for? to learn how to EGYPTIAN JO! comicbooks.com