Life, 1900-12-01 · page 13 of 44
Life — December 1, 1900 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an illustrated story (not political satire) about a man named Harkins who attends a theatrical performance titled "The Five Senses." The narrative follows a fantastical premise: a mysterious figure offers to show him the five senses in extraordinary ways beyond the stage production. The page depicts the first sense—"Tasting"—where Harkins attends an elaborate banquet hosted by a beautiful woman in lavish surroundings. The text plays on his enchantment, comparing the experience favorably to the *Arabian Nights*. The implication is suggestively romantic: as his palate is satisfied, "his other senses began to reel," and he willingly moves to experience the next sense. This appears to be holiday-season entertainment fiction typical of Life magazine's lighter content, using the theatrical framework as cover for mildly suggestive humor about sensory pleasure and seduction.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Five Senses. A Christmas Extravaganza. Mr. Harkins, a modest and unassuming man, bad been read- ing of the Christmas Extravaganza, “ The Five Senses,” playing at one of tho theatres, Impressed by the imaginative possibilities of the thoughts thus suggested, he was wondering, drowsily, if he might with propriety attend the performance the follow- ing evening, when a strange being appeared and offered to show him the five senses as never before dreamt of. He reluctantly consented, and they thereupon proceeded to an adjoining room and ho tested the first. TASTING. Such a banquot, such surroundings, and such a strango and beautiful hostess! Ho had onco read the “Arabian Nights,” but this excelled anything ho bad found in that book. Involun- tarily ho lifted his glass in response to the beautiful being who stood before him, And then it was not etrange, when his palate had been so wondrously satisfed, that his other senses began to reel, and ho accepted the change of scene that followed without question —it was an introduction to the next sonse.