Life, 1898-10-20 · page 15 of 20
Life — October 20, 1898 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"King Waltz"** mocks the pretensions of dance-masters and high society's obsession with proper form. The accompanying verses celebrate the waltz as superior to newer fad dances (York, Schottische, Scottish Fling), satirizing the constant pursuit of fashionable novelty among the wealthy. **The Roosevelt section** jokes about Colonel Theodore Roosevelt's claim that his recent military service was purely a "sporting" adventure, not profit-driven. The cartoon implies his Rough Riders are eager to leave New York, sardonically questioning his financial disinterest. **"A New Propaganda"** ridicules Chicago-based theater men (de Koven and Hobart Chatfield-Taylor) for proposing a play to teach New York high society proper etiquette and manners. The satire suggests that Chicago—still considered culturally inferior to New York in this era—has no authority to lecture New Yorkers on refinement. The final caption "Scraps of Learning" reinforces the mockery of their presumption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
~ LTR EE? RRO RwwPoo _ King Waltz. HE dancing-masters moot cach done with your head thrown back, your eyes on the vanishing point, and a look on your face as of one who is trying both to remember what he was about to say and to forget that he has toothache, you felt it could not be done at all. One day, however, when you had rescued her from the top of her upset canoe, and later watched her as she tried to bait a hook with a live minnow, you forgot all things and blurted out the secret of your heart. There was suspense for an in- stant; then all of a sudden there came a collapse, and you learned that she had not created herself out of vanity and good red blood, but had descended, after the usual manner, from dear old Mother Eve. The marriage is to occur in the early winter. F Colonel Roosevelt loves war, as some persons allege, it is purely on sporting grounds, and not from any pecuniary profit he finds in it. The Colonel’s personal account books covering his recent military career have not been published. What is inside of them is suggested by the state ment that, as late as October 6th, there still lingered in New York as many as eighty Rough Riders, of whom, said a newspaper, ‘all whocan be reached will be sent home by the Colonel himself.” A New Propaganda. HATS: this, Mr. Reginald AV year And on us try to spring Fandangoes new and jig- steps queor, But Waltz remains the King. this, what's what's this? de Koven and Mr. Ho- hart Chatfleld Chat- field Chatfleld-Tay- Thoy tried the York and Schottishe, And that most erratic Fling Peculiar to the Scottish, But Waltz is still the King. Bo squeak, ye feline violin, And let the wood-brass sing, Uniting ina merry din, And long may Waltz be King. process which Involves a grandchild, a female grandparent, and the sucking of eggs. We could readily picture Mr, de Koven delivering » discourse on “The Art of Remembering Other People's Muste,” or “ How to Make New Operas Out of Old Ones.” It would also be toteresting to bear Mr. H.C. C. C-Taylor tell how he showed Chicago soclety the viclousness of passing Jeweled toothpicks at ceremontous dinners, and how he fought the Chicago custom of serving beer instead of water in the fnger-bowls. These things would be interesting, but are our bad manners Apt to be Linproved by suggestions from Chicago? lor to unite and produce # play called “The Manners of Good Soclety,”” which shall teach propriety to New Yorkers? Buch ts the serious statement of one of onr esteemed dally contemporaries. Both of these gentlemen originated In Chicago, and for them to attempt to teach the convenances to dwellers In the metropolls recalls strongly that ancient educattonal “SCRAPS OP LEARNING.” comicbooks.com