Life, 1897-06-17 · page 12 of 20
Life — June 17, 1897 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 512 This page contains three distinct satirical pieces: 1. **"The Cigarette"** - A romantic poem by J. Russell Taylor about a woman lighting a cigarette, treating the act as a seductive, intimate gesture. The accompanying illustration shows men in exaggerated poses watching women with elongated legs—a humorous critique of how cigarette-smoking (then a relatively new social behavior for women) was portrayed as scandalous or alluring. 2. **"Home, Sweet Home"** - A sentimental illustration contrasting rural/domestic bliss with modern life, captioned with dialogue about boats and foreign shores. 3. **"Bless Her!"** - Prose celebrating the "bicycle girl," a symbol of women's independence and liberation. It satirizes both the bicycle craze and changing women's fashion (shorter skirts, stockings), while mocking both admirers and critics of these social changes. The page satirizes evolving gender roles and women's increasing public presence in the 1890s-1900s.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*LIFE: THE CIGARETTE. T was a pretty folly, and sweet. She said— (My Lady !)—‘* Let me light your cigarette.” ‘Twas rolled in her warm hands; the match was set And flared above the moon-lamp's glowing red; My heart stood still in a delicious dread, Then suddenly, sweetly, danced and sung and shook When from her laughing lips the roll I took Glowing, and sending up an airy thread Of slender smoke; and touched it with a kiss; And drew therethrough fantastic ghost of bliss— Then while I talked through wreaths hung blue between I found my Lady serious grown from glee, And mutely, chin in hand, looking at me Inscrutable, and dreamy, and serene. J. Russell Taylor, HE man who nurses his wrongs carefully finds that they grow rapidly. HOME, SWEET HOME! “LOOK, ADELAIDE, LOOK! THE ROAT IS READY! LET Us FLY TO YON FOREIGN SHORE!" “MARMION BLUDWURST, YOUR APPEAL 1S IN VAIN; 1 KINNOT LEAVE MY HOME, IT 18 UNPOSSIBLE!'” BLESS HER! XISTENCE is certainly more interesting since the bicycle girl was created. She is everywhere prevalent, and no doubt she is everywhere an object of attention. She is worth it. Lire can testify that in New York, at least, she and her costumes are so well, and so continuously well, observing, that the wonder is that more persons are not run over in the streets while absorbed in watching her. Be it recorded that a large proportion of the bicycle girls look ex- ceedingly well in the bicycle clothes. Whether they wear stockings or leggings, whether they - wear divided skirts or ordinary skirts that clear their ankles, they adorn creation, and add many pleasing emotions to the contemporary experience of life. Not the least good thing that the bicycle has done has been to demonstrate publicly that women have legs. Their legs are unquestionably becoming to them. So are their shirt-waists. Long may they wave! 67 CAN'T tell whether the lady with Mr. Ster- lingworth is his wife or not,” remarked Mrs. Throckmorton to her husband, as she gazed across the theatre through her lorgnette. “Has Sterlingworth got his dress-suit on?” asked Mr. Throckmorton, No, he is wearing a brown suit.” “Yes, the lady is his wife.” PEARLS OF ETIQUETTE: MUNSTER: And don’t you know who God IT IS THE CORRECT THING TO DO ANYTHING YOU CAN TO AMUSE THE is, Johnny? OTHER VISITORS ON A CALLING DAY, IF YOUR HOSTESS ASKS YOU. “No, sir. He is not on mamma's calling list.”