Life, 1898-09-29 · page 20 of 20
Life — September 29, 1898 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon, titled "Making Sure," depicts a school examination scene. A stern examiner questions a working-class boy about grammar—specifically the article "an." The youth gives a comic response suggesting "an" means food ("what you eat, sir"). **The satire**: This mocks the gap between formal education and practical street knowledge. The boy's impoverished appearance and vernacular speech contrast with the examiner's attempt at teaching abstract grammar rules. The joke reflects 19th-century anxieties about class, education, and whether poor children could truly benefit from schooling focused on elite linguistic standards. The page is primarily filled with period advertisements (Pears' soap, Vin Mariani tonic, railroad tours, typewriters) typical of *Life's* mixed content format. The source attribution "From Fun" suggests this cartoon was reprinted from another publication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MAKING SURE. Examiner: WHAT PART OF SPRRCH 18 THE woRD “aM? Smart Youth: Wwwat, THe “ ‘Aw! WHAT YOU EAT, SIR, OR THR “as WHAT YOU 18? Pears’ What is wanted of soap for the skin is to wash it clean and not hurt it. Pure soap does that. This is why we want pure soap; and when we say pure, we mean without alkali. Pears’ is pure; no free alkali. sand virtues of soap;. this one is enough. You can trust a soap that has no biting alkali in it. All sorts of stores sell it, especially druggists; all sorts of people use it. RUINART. NOTICE, Sabseribers to LIFE will please give old address as well as new when requesting change of same, Notieo of change of address should reach us by Thursday morning to affect the Issue of the following week. There are a thou- Fin qurtin —From Fun. TOURS TO THE UPPER SOUTH. Two Personally-Conducted Tours via Peunsylvania Railroad to Gettysburg, y, Natural Bridge, Richmond, Washington, ke. September 2 and October 19 are the dates selected by the Pennsylvania Ratl- road Company for Its two early Autumn, tours to the Rattlefleld of Gettysburg, picturesque Blue Mountain, Luray Cav- |) erns, the Natural Bridge, Virginia Hot | Springs, the cities of Richmond and + Washington, and Mt. Vernon. ‘The round-trip rate, including all nec- essary expenses, ts $45 from New York, | $63 from Philadelphia, and proportion. ate rates from other potnta. Each tour covers a period of eleven days, and will be in charge of one of the company’s Tourist Agents. He will be asalsted by an expertenced lady as Chaperon, whose espectal charge will be ladies unaccompanied by male escort. Spectal trains of parlor cars are pro- vided for the exclusive use of each party, in which the entire round trip from New York ts made. For detailed itinerary apply to Ticket Agents, or to Tourist Agent, 1196 Broad- way, New York, 789 Brond Street, New- | ark, N. J., or address Geo. W. Boyd, Assistant General Passenger Agent, Broad Street Station, Philadelphia, No Appetite? == ro The ideal French Tonle FOR BODY AND BRAIN Bince 1863, Endorsed by Medica: Paculty lasting _ efficacious RASARIAN! wil immediate agreeable SOUTHERN PACIFIC CO. . .“S#tunem LUXURY, COMFORT, SPEED, For California, Arizona, Mexico, Japan, China, Around the World. 849 Broapway, anp 1 Battery Prace (Washington Building), New Yonx. LIFE. VOL. 31 now ready. Bound in Maroon and Gold, Green and Gold, Full Black. PRICE, $4.00. If Copies are returned an allowance of $2.00 is made, PRESS OF THE J. W. PRATT CU., NEW YORK WYCKOFF, SEAMANS & BENEDICT 327 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. é Three of aKind $ beat two pairs, but one pair of Braces beats two pairs of any other make. It’s in the “graduated” cord ends— Elastic in places for comfort; Non-elastic ia places for durability. Ask your furnisher for th or send &e. for a sample Cheaver niddel, the, “C.-S. for Se Scart fustoner free, for, your furoisbers, name if he does not keep" Endwell Braces" CHESTER SUSPENDER C0. 3 Decatur Ave., Roxbery Crossing, Mash hin tintntindhind KENTUCKY I$ FAMOUS FUR Good Horses, Handsome Ladies, Fine Whiskies, Of the latter we control the faest possible quality OLD CROW jeritorions arte ihe od oe cheated. H. B. KIRK & CO., 69 Fulton S8t., z Also Broadway and 27th St NEW YORK. Sole Agents for the Great Western Champee™