Life, 1897-08-12 · page 3 of 20
Life — August 12, 1897 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of "Life" Magazine Page 123 **Top Illustration: "Matrimonial Query"** This sketch depicts a social scene with a woman in an elaborate gown seated between two men in formal dress, with a third man observing. The caption "Which?" suggests satire about marriage prospects or romantic indecision—likely mocking the social conventions of courtship among the wealthy. **Bottom Story: "The Declaration of Independence"** This humorous piece describes a Scottish editor of *McClure's Magazine* who encountered bagpipes and Scottish collies while eating canned haggis. The narrative puns on Scottish identity ("The Declaration of Independence"), culminating in a joke about naming a breakfast cereal after Scottish heritage. The satire targets both Scottish stereotypes and the commercialization of ethnic identity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MATRIMONIAL QUERY. WHICH ? Wonderful. HIS country must be increasing its population very fast.” “*What makes you think so?” “Why, I understand that now there are as many people as there are different makes of wheels.” “The Declaration of Independence.” THE editor of SeCture's Magazine sat in bis den, eating canned haggis and listening to his Highland typewriter skirl on the bagpipes. At his feet lay ten or eleven Scotch collies, and sprigs of heather were twined in his hair and beard. There was a knock at the door and a timid- looking lad followed it up by entering. He bore under his arm a roll of manuscript, and at sight of it the editor shook his head discouragiogly, but something in the lad’s manoer caused him to ask his name. “LT ken weel ye dinna ken me. 1m ainly a puir Scotch author—" ** Sit ye doon, mon," said the editor, rising and pouring out a glass of Scotch whiskey, which he immediately—diank himself. ‘An’ what do ye call yersel?"” “tam Angus McAngus McTavish McPud- den McBride McLeod Kildrummie Bogmyrtle o’ Drumtochty, an’ I hae a leetle story fer Mister McClure’s book ca'ed ‘The Decla- ration o' Independence.’” **Hech, mon, but that’s a gude title. I hae olten girned that he sud fecht awa for us a’ and maybe dee before he kent that he hed githered mair luve than ony man inthe Glen, It was michty tae see him come intae the yaird that day, neeburs; the verra look o’ him wes victory. Ye ken that must be gude Scotch, for it's fra ‘ The Bonnie Brier Bush.” An’ now read me some o’ your story, an’ if it’s Scotch eneuch I'll buy it an’ gie ye gude siller for it.” The bagpipes, which had continued toskirl, now let up, and Angus unrolled his manu- script. Ina fine H, O. voice he began: “*\When i’ the coorse o' human events it becooms necessary for ain nation to declare war upon anither, proper respect for the opeenions o' monkind—'” ““Hech, mon, thet's joost glorious. Name your ain price an’ we'll run it in as a Scotch cereal.” Charles Battell Loomis, comicbooks.com