Life, 1898-10-06 · page 3 of 20
Life — October 6, 1898 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 263 This page contains three separate satirical pieces: **"Ashes of Empire"** (top illustration): Depicts a woman in elaborate robes confronting a kneeling figure, likely referencing imperial decline or political upheaval, though the specific historical reference is unclear without additional context. **"Reasons"/"Quatrain"/"In Effect"** (left-center): A humorous anecdote about Robert Lincoln Wells and "Miss Melia Johnson" involving accusations of infidelity and household servants' loyalty—domestic satire rather than political commentary. **"A Theorist"** (bottom-right cartoon): Shows a figure theorizing while a goat pulls in opposite directions, satirizing impractical idealism divorced from reality—a common Life magazine theme criticizing politicians or reformers whose theories don't match practical outcomes. The page's satire targets personal morality, administrative incompetence, and theoretical naiveté rather than specific current events.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Reasons. T sight of Robert Lincoln Wells, Miss ‘Melia Johnson suddenly became stiff in the neck. ‘* Why don’t you come to see me no mo’, Mr. Wells?” she said, in her haughtiest manner, Robert Lincoln Wells almost blushed through his black skin, Guilt was writ- ten on every feature of his face. Theo he had an inspiration. “T’ tell de truf, Miss ’Mely, I’m clean scared of you’ dorg.” “Well, the’ ain't no call to be scared of my dorg, Mr. Wells. In the first place, he ain’t never loose where he can git at anybody. In the second place, he wouldn't bite yeh if he could, An’ in the third place, Iain't got no dorg in the Jirst place.” F we all could have what we wanted we wouldn't be on speaking terms with each other. ASHES OF EMPIRE, Quatrain. OME folks have eccentricities, © Others havo a crazo; Whilo, too, the crooked grocer has His own peculiar weighs. ISHONEST men have their uses also, They are tutors in the school of experience. Equipped in One Respect. ee D° you suppose the Administration will suffer by these War De- partment ecandals ?” “Hardly. The Ad- ministration didn’t go to war without a full equipment of scape- goats,” OME was not built _ - in aday, but we do things differently now. In Effect. Fr Nanossina CLERK (Ohio Legis- lature): Here is this bill proposing to restrict marriage to persons of sound bodies and sane minds; how shall I entitle it? Marrigp Soron: ‘‘An Act Prohibiting Matrimony.” comicbooks.com