Life, 1899-04-06 · page 5 of 20
Life — April 6, 1899 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 297 - Analysis This page contains three satirical pieces: 1. **"A Rara Avis"** (top left): An illustrated poem about an Easter bonnet mistaken for a bird, then shot by a hunter. The satire targets the extravagant women's fashion of wearing elaborate, feathered hats—so ornate they resembled actual birds. This mocks both the fashion excess and the absurdity of the trend. 2. **"He Must Be the One"** (top right): A brief joke about a judge granting twenty divorces in one day, with commentary that such a person must be "one of those twenty-knot destroyers." This satirizes both judicial efficiency in divorce cases and perhaps judges' perceived indifference to marital dissolution. 3. **"Often the Case"** (right): A dialogue between characters named Mike and McLumberrry, discussing whether an epigram qualifies as literature—likely mocking pretentious literary criticism. The illustrations throughout employ exaggerated, humorous drawings typical of Life's style.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIPE® A Rara Avis, NCE there was an Easter bonnet With some wings and feathers on it, And a tiny, shiny bucklo ina bit of ribbon shirred. Said tho ladies, “ Please inform us Why its bill is 80 enormous,” And that foolish little Easter bonnet thought it was a bird! It slyly watched its chances, And, escaping people's glances, It flow straight out tho window and it . lighted on a tree, #.}) With fear its wings were quaking Y’ And its littlo frame was shaking, But it sat there smiling bravely though "twas frightened as could be, Said the birds, “ You're of our feather, Come and let us flock together,” But the bonnet answered proudly, “I m exclusivo and select; And although I could bo pleasant To an ostrich or a pheasant, For mo to herd with common birds you really can't expect.”” Said a hunter, “ This is pretty, I will take it home to Kitty,” Then be aimed bis gun and shot it, and it foll with- out a word. Then it gave a final flutter, And pertly seemed to mutter, “Well, afterall, I'd rather be a Bonnet than a Bird.” Carolyn Wells, 297 He Must Be the One. “*7 READ to-day,” said Mrs. McBride, “of a Judge who recently granted twenty divorces in one day.” “He must be one of those twenty-knot destroyers we read about sometimes,” added Mr. McBride. Often the Case. ITTLE Mike (in the midst of hts read- ing): Feyther, phwot is an epigram? McLuszerty: An ipigram, is ut? Be- gorra, ut’s sumthin’ thot makes yez vomit, Art; AND TO THINK THAT ONLY YESTERDAY T REFUSED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS YOR THAT SKETcu!