Life, 1900-01-11 · page 8 of 20
Life — January 11, 1900 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 28 This page contains two distinct cartoons satirizing American literature and social pretension. The left cartoon, titled "Saving Him Money," depicts a man reading in a chair while a woman gestures dismissively. The caption criticizes Mr. Westright's "failure" as a street creditor—he arranged to pay debts in installments rather than lump sums, yet his wife mocks his frugality, saying he'll only cost "fifty dollars" instead of the expected amount. The right section, "Lady in Distress—Prowing—to the Rescue!" satirizes romantic sentimentality. The accompanying text mocks John Jay Chapman's literary reform crusade in the *Atlantic*, suggesting his "protest" advocacy is naive. A separate anecdote titled "Her Ruse" humorously depicts a widow deflecting a visitor's criticism of a portrait by flattering him with Saint Patrick's Day references. The overall tone ridicules both financial anxiety and overwrought literary posturing in contemporary American life.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
28 It recalls the palmiest days of the yellow journals when each one kept a skilful “circulation liar” to swear to figures which were paraded every day. : Tho appreciation of a million readers novor made the yellow journals cithor pleasant or profitable reading. Because a hundred thousand people buy a novel it does not follow that it is the work of a literary genius, Whon this gong has been sounded to the limit of endurance, some shrowd publisher will advertise a novel in modest typo, saying: As thore aro only one thousand people In this country capable of appreciating tho flno quality of this book, the edition has been limited.” Tho rush for that Look will be surprising. . . . OHN JAY CHAPMAN, roformer, essayist and literary iconoclast, is J usually entertaining when he writes, and often irritating (which he SAVING HIM MONEY. Mr, Wheatpit; MY PAILCRE 18 THE TALK OP THE STREET! AT THE MEETING OF MY CREDITORS, TO DAY, 1 ARRANGED TO PAY TEN CENTS ON THE DOLLAK! | Airs. Wheatpit (after a moment's Aguring): Ol, HENRY, ISN'T THAT LOVELY? TUEN THE PIVTY-DOLLAR HAT I MAD SENT HOME TO-DAY WILL ONLY cosT YOU FIVE DOLLARS ! ‘LIFE ctreulation, with a similar lino of zoros, is the current test of a novel. HALF-SEAS OVER “LADY IN DISTRESS — DKOWNING—TO THE RESCUK!" considers the chief aim of writing). Ho has the courage of his convictions, and sets forth in the current Atlantic the doctrine that the only road to reform of any kind lies along tho path of successful advertising. “Remomber this,” says Mr. Chapman. “You cannot, though you owned the world, do any good in It ezcept by devising new ways of advertising the Fact that you felt in a particular way, It 1s the personal influence of example that is the power. Nothing else counts,” Protest, protest, protest! is the ralo which Mr, Chapman advocates, In the meantimo Mr. Croker and Mr. Platt keep quiet and laugh in thelr sleeves, “Reform by Noise” would be a good title for Mr. Chapman's crusade, Droch, AGGLES: Is your son making any progress in his J profession? Waccies: Yes, He is learning some of the things he thought he knew when he came out of college. Her Ruse. ae OES thot look annyt'ing loike me late laminted Dinnis, Mrs, O'Toole?” asked the Widow Clinchy, pointing to alithographed portrait which she bad recently hung on the wall. ** Tell me, d’yez detict anny resim- blance at ahl?” “Oi do not!” truthfully replied the visitor, who bad dropped in for a chat, somewhat surprised at the question. “Av me oyces don’t desave me, thot is a picture av thot illigant mon, Admiral Dewe: ** Yis, tis thot,” said the widow. ‘But, phwisper, whin Con Duffy, dhe soign-painter, slips in an’ paints a plug-hat upon its head, a Saint Patherick’s Day smoile on its face, au’ a grane sash across its cbist, tell me now, d’yez tink ut would fool thot foine, fore-banded widower, Phalim Mc- Larrity, who has wake oyes, into bel’avin’ thot av he wins me he'll be marryin’ a lady thot is proud ava good husband whin she has wan?”