Life, 1900-08-02 · page 6 of 20
Life — August 2, 1900 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page 86 The main cartoon depicts a skeletal figure (Death personified) forcing a reluctant man to swallow a nail. The caption reads: "DOCTOR, MY APPETITE HAS GONE BACK ON ME COMPLETELY. I HAVE TO FORCE MYSELF TO SWALLOW EVEN A NAIL" and "I SHOULD PRESCRIBE A MAGNET BEFORE MEALS." This is a dark humor joke about severe digestive problems—the man claims he must force himself to eat even metal objects, implying his appetite is completely destroyed. The doctor's suggestion of a magnet "before meals" is absurd wordplay, implying the magnet would extract the nail he's swallowed. The page also features heartwarming letters from children at Life's Fresh-Air Farm (a charitable program providing rural experiences to poor urban children), with acknowledgments of donations supporting this welfare initiative.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
86 Our Fresh-Air Fund. Previously acknowledged Do a Ruth. M In Memory of Lucy Wit, Fi in Memory of Mainma. Richard Searie. Third Subscription fo account of the Ninth Westchester ‘Annual Subscription of $300 to the Fresh-Air Fund aH P Proceeds derived fron ‘an “entertain ment given on Jily 14th by the folowing Ute ‘Misses: Norma White, Gindys White, Agnes Tracy, Helen’ Y, Clarabell Smith and r 18 S8ssssssss Ta" Memory of "ie Dick’ trom Sisters... B)E wee Fe “DOCTOR, MY APPETITE HAS GONE BACK ON ME COMPLETELY. SWALLOW EVEN A Natt.” LIFE ‘THE children of the Fresh- Air Farm were recently treated to fifteen gallons of ice cream by Mr. and Mrs. Hawk of Ridgefield, Connecticut, in honor of the birthday of their daughter. 'HESE letters from children at Lire’s farm may be of interest to some of our readers: Dean Mama: I got here and am well. We have lots to eat. I am very well. We eat nice things to eat. Write tome tack. Your Davourer, &c. Dear Morner: We all arrived safely, and {t t# grand for girls, and I send my best regards to all in the house, ‘ovr Lovina Daconter. Dean Para: Me und Harry enjoy being 1n the country, and have our daily meals regularly. I remain, Your Goop Son, Dean Mawa: Since 1am here we had two niin storms. We have # big tent, And as soon as it started, the boys and girls all ran under the tent. After tt stopped raining, two men played pitch- ing tron rings on a big spike. Your Sox. Dean Para: I am here and have a good time and good things to cat, 1 miss mama, but some children here have thelr mama and papa both dead. 1 tore my pants climbing atree had, Mr. Mohr gave me a biue patr, because he said I bad to be covered better, out of a big box. Your Love Wrrn Your Sox. I NAVE TO PORCE MYSELP TO “1 SHOULD PRESCRIBE A MAGNET BEFORE MEALS." AT LIFE'S FARM. wast DAY, Acknowledgments. IFE’S Fresh-Air Farm is in receipt of one barrel of Pillsbury's best flour from Messrs. Pillsbury, Washburn and Company, Minneapolis, and one barrel of crackers from Messrs, Seeman Brothers, New York. 8 Lire'a taaue of July 12th there appeared a picture of @ scene in the big tent at Lives farm, with the title, “Listening to the Phono- graph.” This was an error. In reality the children were listening to the Zon-o-phone, & highly appreciated gift to the farm from the National Gram-o-phone Corporation, Me ATHERTON gives us in Senator North areadablestory and rather a distorted sketch of ‘Washington official and social life. Mrs. Atherton’sheroinesarealways women beyond the pale, and Miss Betty Madison is no exception. In the delicate situation which fur- nishes the tragic motive of the story, almost any writer but Mrs. Atherton would have thought it impossible to make her blue-