Life, 1897-02-25 · page 3 of 20
Life — February 25, 1897 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: Life Magazine, Volume XXIX, Number 740 **Main Cartoon:** The illustration depicts a social scene where "Bilkins has just returned" from Monte Carlo, where he apparently won enough money to pay his wedding expenses. The wedding has been postponed two years. **Two Joke Sections:** **"An Echo of the Ball":** References an "Ingoldsby ball" where guests wore eighteenth-century costumes. The humor mocks the artificiality—hosts needed old clothes as an excuse to get people to attend social events (suggesting the party itself wasn't appealing enough). **"In the Same Line":** A dialogue joke where Hunker and Harkins discuss Presidential cabinet members as "Cabinet makers," playing on Washington's cherry-tree legend and the metaphor of presidents "making" their cabinets through appointments. The page satirizes wealthy society's pretensions and puns on contemporary political appointments.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ham. >. SHILKINS HAS JUST KETURNED.”” “WHERE HAS HE BEEN?” “TO MONTE CARLO, TO WIN ENOUGH TO PAY HIS WEDDING EXPENSES.” “AND THE WEDDING?” “HAS BEEN POSTPONED FOR TWO YEARS.” AN ECHO OF THE BALL. *¢ 7 UNDERSTAND there were nothing but eighteenth century costumes at the UNKER: It is odd what an affinity the Jingleberry Ball.” Presidential office has for working in “Yes. Times were so hard the host and wood. hostess thought it well to get people to HarkINS: What do you mean ? af wear their old clothes.” “Washington cut down a-cherry tree, Lin- “What did you go as?” coln split rails, and all the Presidents have been “One of Chauncey Depew’s jokes.” Cabinet mak : IN THE SAME LINE. comicbooks.com