Life, 1897-10-28 · page 8 of 22
Life — October 28, 1897 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 350: Life Magazine Satire This page contains several distinct satirical pieces: **"L'Actrice de deux Tongues"** (top left): A poem mocking an actress who sings old songs in a affected manner, suggesting the public finds her tiresome and artificial. **Dr. Fridtjof Nansen** (center): The article describes Nansen, a famous Arctic explorer, visiting America. The text satirizes American financial anxieties by calling him an "authentic lion" whose presence commands high admission prices. The piece gently mocks both Nansen's celebrity status and Americans' willingness to pay to see him. **Cartoon (bottom left)**: An illustration labeled "Gems of Poetry" shows a figure with playing card symbols, likely satirizing sentimental or overwrought poetry of the era. **"Economical"** (right): A brief joke about a husband and wife haggling over dress costs. The page reflects early 20th-century American social satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
350 L’Actrice de deux Tongues. E ne puis pas sing les vielles songs, Je chantais long ago, The public ne m'écoute pas, Leurs shekels quittent to flow. Je souris very doucement Look charmante comme I can, Mais, ‘* Ma mére était a lady" Brings une hiss from every man. Je ne puis pas sing les vielles songs, Or dream ces réves again, ** Just tell them vous me voyiez,” Gives chaque person une peine. Je ne puis pas sing les vielles songs, Je chantais long ago, For les audiences would fail me— Les vielles chansons won't go. Dr. Fridjof Nansen. R. NANSEN has come prepared to ease in some manner the plethora of ready money by which the Americans are understood to be temporarily embarrassed. He is an authentic lion, whose roar is excep- tionally strong, sonorous and satis- GEMS OF POETRY. ‘*AND STILL BE DOING, NEVER DONE.” Butler's * Hudibras,” A MEETING OF THE HARMONY SOCIAL CLUB. (Extract from the Secretary's Minutes.) “AS MR. SMITH STILL HBLD THE FLOOR, THE CHAIR OBJECTED TO THE MOTION MADE BY MR. JONES AS BEING OUT OF ORDER. . . . . MR. ROBINSON, FAILING TO RECEIVE HIS EXPECTED SUPPORT, AND NOT BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE CHAIR, DROPPED OUT OF THE DISCUSSION, THERE SEEMED TO BE A GENERAL DESIRE TO RE-OPEN THE SUBJSCT THAT HAD BEEN LAID UPON THE TABLE.” fying, and whose aspect and manners warrant high prices of admission to his show. His special claim to our attention and applause is based upon his having gone nearer the North Pole than anyone else, and in having got safely home before he could be rescued. His example in this last detail of it is felt to be especially fit for all Arctic explorers to emulate. Dr. Nansen will linger with us about two months, It is understood that he wears on the platform the garb of civilization in the temperate zone, and that he uses the best English that he can command, undiversified by dialect. We shall be inter- ested to see how his results will compare with those achieved by the reverend and distinguished hoot-mon lec- turer who visited us last year. Economical. IFE: The tailor said he couldn’t make the gown for less than two hundred and twenty- five dollars, so I told him to go ahead. Huspanp: Why in the world didn’t you consult me first? “I didn’t want to spend the car- fare for two visits, dear.” ENORITA CISNEROS, the res- cued Cuban maiden, has become a contributor to her rescuer’s col- umns. If Miss Cisneros hasaliterary turn, she might make interesting “‘copy” by discussing the compara- tive unwholesomeness of the privacy of a Spanish jail and the publicity of enlargement through the efforts of a penny paper. RIVVET: They say that Eastlake owns a silver mine in Colorado. Dicer: Is he as poor as that?