Life, 1898-02-10 · page 5 of 20
Life — February 10, 1898 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 105 This page contains satirical commentary on a wedding, presented as a "worm's-eye view" looking down at the ceremony from above. The main cartoon depicts the bride and groom at an altar surrounded by wedding guests, flowers, and attendants arranged in a circular composition. Below are two brief comic sketches: "Wasteful" shows a character named Impleton carelessly wasting whiskey, while "Consolatory" appears to reference Life's recent "Pegasus" Contest, offering commiserations to contest losers through mocking verse. The wedding satire mocks the spectacle and expense of marriage ceremonies, a recurring Life magazine theme. The specific social critique—whether targeting wealthy excess, changing marriage customs, or particular contemporary wedding trends—remains somewhat unclear without additional context about the publication date.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Wasteful. IMPLETON: Ha, ha! I put kerosene oil with some of this whiskey and left it out in the kitchen for the cook to drink. Von BLumER(solemnly): It scems a pity to spoil the oil, old man, WORM'S-EYE VIEWS OF US. A WEDDING. Consolatory. Apropos of Live’s recent “Pegasus” Contest. CHEER up, se Lire Brigade! Soon will the glory fade Why should ye be dismayed Of the great guess they made, At the wild guesses made— For, when the prize was paid Ye who have blundered! To the six hundred, Though Lire your failure tell— Each of the winning host ‘Though in the fray ye fell— Of “sterling worth” could boast Nobly ye tried and well ‘Thirty-four cents at most— For the two hundred! Lucky six hundred! One Who Blundered, comicbooks.com