Life, 1897-07-22 · page 5 of 20
Life — July 22, 1897 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 65 - Analysis This page contains several satirical anecdotes and illustrations typical of Life's humor format: **"A Dry Landing"** mocks the difference between what people say and mean—a woman claims she "fell on the fish" rather than admitting she fell overboard. **"Veritas Vincit"** is a self-promotional section praising Life's humor as distinctly American, comparing it favorably to British competitors *Punch* and *Judge*. It claims Life's satire is cleaner and more refined. **"He Knew Them"** and **"Where She Comes In"** are brief joke exchanges about a Western clergyman and marital dynamics. **The illustrations** show period clothing and social scenes. A notable item discusses **Mr. Bidwell**, a bicycle manufacturer appointed Port of New York Collector—apparently a controversial political appointment that Life satirizes. The page exemplifies turn-of-the-century American satirical magazine humor: domestic comedy, light social commentary, and political jabs at appointments.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
> LIFE: A DRY LANDING. UNKER: Yes, sir; just as I got that fish up to the side of the HILe: Get wet? Not a bit. I fell on the fish.” £ I *HE clever girl is one who, when you say things you don’t mean, always knows what you do mean, E BOY ? THIS BIG STIC Collector of the Port of New York, is a bicycle manufacturer, and was the candidate of Senator Platt and some fifteen thousand bicyclists. The only people who ‘scem much displeased with his appointment are the folks who wanted some one else. Lire had no candidate for the place, and would as soon pay duties to Mr. Bidwell as anyone. ike ¢ Abst tl earn tie Bill, the Adjutant : | FEEL FUNNY; CAN THIS BE HYPNOTISM? VERITAS VINCIT. IFE veils his modesty for a moment, in order that due recognition may be given for timely words of praise. Besides, he half suspects that there may be some truth in the statements so gracefully made by the writer of the following: An Englishman, being asked which of our papers he considered most characteristically American, replied Lire—an answer which rather disposes of Lire’s own statement that England could not understand it. Lire is indeed the only humorous paper of which we have any reason to be proud. In good sense and sobriety it stands absolutely alone. Puck and /udge are mere vulgar, screech- ing buffoons when placed by its side. No two papers have done more by their farcical extravagance to bring American humor into disrepute. Lire has none of that insane passion for hunting jokes to death, for taking characters like the hotel clerk and the bicycling girl and grinding out a million absurdities about them, till the whole country is sick. Ltre’s mirth is clean and always under control; when it is witty, and it often is, it is witty in a polished and easy fashion; and the whole tone of the paper is extremely pleasant and refined. No journal of its class has produced better artistic work. It is possible that Lire will never mean as much to America as Punch does to England, but for all that it seems to us to be un- questionably the best comic paper in the world. —From the Chap Book. HE KNEW THEM. N a Western town, a clergyman was exhorting his congregation in regard to their treatment of the new minister, soon to arrive, and closed up with: ‘‘And above all things, when he gets here I want you all to pray for him. He'll need it.” WHERE SHE COMES IN. INNICUS: I tell you a man never appreciates his wife till he gets into trouble. Cynnicus: That's so; it's a big satisfaction to have some one to blame for it. comicbooks.com