Life, 1899-08-31 · page 3 of 20
Life — August 31, 1899 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 163 This page contains satirical poetry and illustrations about a "Summer Girl" and the passage of time. The left side features a poem warning a fashionable young woman that her youth and beauty are temporary. Father Time (depicted as a winged, skeletal figure in the illustrations) threatens to steal her "bewitching gowns" and "coquettish balls," warning her to "have all the fun you can" while young. The right side includes two brief prose pieces: "She Reassured Him" (a dialogue between a young couple) and "Fated" (brief witticisms about rest and foolishness). The cartoon's social satire targets the vanity and frivolity of fashionable young women of the era, while humorously reminding readers of mortality and aging—a common theme in Life magazine's gentle social commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Warning. H, you Summer Girl! You ridiculous, absurd, hackneyed, overworked, adorable Summer Girl! You shirt-waisted goddess And sailor-hatted sylph, You picturesque potpourri of outing effects, You think you're great, Don’t you? And you are. You're a power, and a queen, and a tyrant, And you know it, And you glory in it. And I don’t blame you. I think you're all right myself. Although you rule your young men, Your swains and gallants and cavallers— Although you think ‘LIFE: All mankind bow beneath your sway, It isn't true. I defy you! ra Iam your lord and master, and of me you aro afraid, Abjectly, sbrinkingly, and shudderingly afraid, Who am I? Lam Time, Father Time; your friend and ally now. But remember I havo you in my power, Irrovocably in my power, And at my will can transform you Intoa crone, An old, wrinkled, haggard, toothless crone. But I won't do it—at least, not now. For a fow years I will let you defy me. You may misuse me, waste me, and even try to kill me, And I will only serve you faithfully in return, And bring you triumphs and happinesses, But some day I will steal your treasures— Your bewitching gowns, And coquettish hats, Yes, and I will steal The roses from your cheeks And the sparkle from your eyes. And then, milady, What will you do? But meanwhile, Summer Girl, Have all the fan you can, And now, Run away and play. Carolyn Wells, She Reassured Him. «€(OMETIMES I doubt myself.” With aslight, deprecatory smile, Peter Fanboy looked up at the tall, athletic girl who stood beside him, and whose loving glance was even now directed towards his thin and nervous, but refined and shapely figure. ** When I think,” he continued, “ that our tastes are so far apart, I wonder sometimes whether I am indeed worthy of you—you who are so strong, so vig- orous; who know 80 well how to ride a horse, play golf, sail a boat, and excel in all those outdoor accomplishments which I fear are so foreign to my nature, Tell me, dearest, how is it possible for me to make you happy?” Elthyn Fearnaught took the hards of her timid lover in both of hers, and, gaz- ing down at him rapturously, with tho light in her eyes of unclouded confidence, said lightly: ‘* My darling, do not fear. Any man who is as handy about the house as I know you are—whocan make a fire, bake bread, engage servants, and cook as you can, I will never get tired Tom Masson. Fated. HE REPOSEFUL ONE: My dear, I wish you would not be so ener- getic. Will you never rest? Tue Fussy One: I never expect to be able to rest till 1 get in my grave, and then it will be just my luck that the next day will be the Resurrection. HERE is no fool like a foolish wise man. comicbooks.com