Life, 1898-12-01 · page 3 of 21
Life — December 1, 1898 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 423 The main illustration depicts a Victorian-era social scene with well-dressed figures in conversation, likely satirizing upper-class society behavior or romantic entanglements. The accompanying text sections include several brief satirical pieces: - **"Puzzled"**: A short poem about romantic indecision between two suitors - **"The True Cause"**: A dialogue between a visiting Englishman and "Mr. Starzenstripes" (likely a caricatured American), joking that American territorial expansion results from heat—"Heat always expands" - **"Left at the Post"**: A narrative about someone named Erkins involved in some scandal or misunderstanding - Small comic advertisements and one-liners mocking various social types The satire appears aimed at Victorian social pretension, romantic confusion, and American expansionism, typical of Life's late 19th/early 20th-century humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“NOT GOING TO GIVE UIM 4 CHANCE TO YOURSELP TO HIM AS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT?” “AND THEN GET NOTHING BUT AN ENGAGEMENT BINO POR My CHRISTMAS PRESENT. Left at the Post. ERKINS was sitting in the corner of the club indulging in the blues, und looking as sad as aman ts permitted to without betng arrested as a public nuisance. Ever and anon he heaved a sigh that ended in a groan, and in vartous other ways made It known to the section of the world in bis immediate vicinity that he was tn the last stages of despatr. Prexently his old friend Jor- Kins appeared on the scene and organized himself into an Investigating committee, “Why, what's the matter, old chap? One would OPOSE UNTIL AFTRR CHRISTMAS! way DON'T YOU GIVE 1GUE8s Nor!" think that you were rehearsing a melodrama from the way you are golng on.” “Well, that {s pretty near what ts the matter. A melodrama tx the cause of all my sorrow If tt were not for ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ | would be “That miserable fad has caused a breach between my flancée and me, and 1 bave lost her forever.” “ Imposstblet"exclatmed Jorkins, sympathetically. “IL Is, ts It? Well, L guess you don't know the circumstances. I took Miss Millyuns to see that wretched play and she tmmediately decided that she wanted to be a ‘Precteuse’ ike Roxane, and that T must begin to make love to her in highfalutin terms.” “Why, that Is easy. Just get a book of poetical quotations and turn yourself loose. I should think It would be great fan, and pleasant change from the humdrum court- ships in vogue.” +b, that’s all right, but you are not aware of the fact that my chief rival ts a rising young political orator who began life as a space-writer.” Puzzled. HICH girl to love, I can't decide, My weary soul it vexes; ‘Tho one who has tho big blue I's Or sho who has green X’es. The True Cause. ISITING ENGLISHMAN: How do you accunt for this policy of expansion? Mr. Starzenstripgs: Well, you see, we got hot. Heat always ex- pands. USE MELONS INTARY 7600 THe BABIES RY [aR IT aeomee Rony “Dm AFRAID THAT WOULDN'T Do. CRIES ALTOGETHER TOO MECH AS IT 18, Of No Use to Him. OAL DEALER: At last I have found an honest man, Hawaiss: Well, whatof it? You can't use him in your business. comicbooks.com