Life, 1898-04-28 · page 20 of 20
Life — April 28, 1898 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
## The Political Cartoon The cartoon at top left depicts two caricatured Irish figures—one sitting (labeled "Begorra"), one standing with a club. The caption reads: "BEGORRA, DID OI HIT A DUTCHMAN OR AN OWL?" **Context**: This satirizes Irish immigrants through crude ethnic stereotyping. "Begorra" is a stage-Irish exclamation. The joke relies on portraying Irish people as violent, drunk, and stupid—common prejudices of the 1890s. The figure can't distinguish what he hit with his weapon, mocking Irish intelligence and suggesting casual violence. ## Page Content The remainder is **advertising**—mostly for bicycles (Crescent, Rambler, Monarch), typewriters, soap, whiskey, and patent medicines (Vin Mariani tonic, Hartshorn's ammonia). One ad notes Pears' Soap keeps skin "clean and soft," addressing period anxieties about hygiene and complexion. The cartoons and ads reflect late-Victorian commercial culture and casual ethnic ridicule considered acceptable entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“BEGORRA, DID OL HIT A DUTCHMAN OR AN OWLT™ Consumption ? 7=~ Pears’ tJ] HARTSHORN'S sicetos NOTICE NAME THUS. ON LABEL anoecy THE GENUINE {ode HARTSHORN} Hunter Baltimore Warranted a pure The Best Whiskey in America. ‘Geld at all First-class Cafes acd ty Jcthers. WM. LANANAN & SON, Baltimore, Md. Yacht Owners should be particular to order a season's sup- ply of Evans’ Ale and rest content that nothing can spoil the pleasure of having an ale in condition In Storm or Calm. EVANS’ The only ale without Sediment, and the only ale that ‘cannot spoil. When You Buy a Bicycle patronize a bicycle dealer—one has the facilities as well as the its: nation to take care of his trade, STANDARD PRICES CRESCI We perspire a pint a day without knowing it ; If not, there's The ob- WINE) The Ideal French Tonic wane FOR BODY AND BRAIN Since 1963, Endorsed by Medical Paculty lasting _ efficacious BICYCLES SOLD BY AGENTS EVERYWHERE ought to. immediate trouble ahead. agreeable REDUCED BI- CYCLE PRICES . have not changed, except )) for the better, the relia- ble quality of Roger “19 year old wheels"” ONE GRADE ONLY ONE PRICE ONLY G & J TIRES ON ALL Gormully & Jeffery Mig. Co. CHICAGO. Boston. Washington. New York Brooklyn. Detroit. Cincinnati. Buffalo. Cleveland. Londoo. Absolutely Reliable Always emington Standard Typewriter. WYCKOFF, SEAMANS & BENEDICT, 327 Broadway, New York. Turtle Oil Soap and Wood Violet. For the Toilet. structed skin becomes sallow or breaks out in pimples. The trouble goes deeper, but this is trouble enough. If you use Pears’ Soap, no matter how often, the skin is clean and soft and open and clear. All sorts of stores sell it, especially druggists; all sorts of people use it. BICYCLE NONE BETTER 1898 CATALOGUE MAILED FREE MONARCH CYCLE MFG.CO. NEW YORK are not sold in department” stores, | your neighbor can purchase a Crescent a) cheap as you can, but no cheaper—a! | CATALOGUE PRICE. Western Wheel Works CHICAGO Makers NEW YOR! RUINART. The good men do live after them; The evil is oft interred with the} bones. So let it be with James Cr the talented founder of the OLD CRON Rt —— distillery. His ru integrity” kept straight path of so that with this { comparable sp: cleanliness, and produced the tillation now known of the weary an valid fresh hope. reliable dealers. H. B. KIRK & CO. 69 FULTON ST, Also Broadway and 27th St., N. Y- Agents for the Great Western Champage