Life, 1901-09-05 · page 19 of 20
Life — September 5, 1901 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon depicts two gentlemen in formal dress—top hats and morning coats—engaged in a humorous exchange. One invites the other to breakfast at 8:50 a.m. ("sharp"), proposing they discuss some unspecified matter. The second man declines, claiming he "never stay up so late as that." The joke satirizes Victorian social conventions and the leisurely schedules of wealthy gentlemen. To stay awake until 8:50 a.m. would require staying up until what this character considers an unreasonably late hour—implying he's accustomed to sleeping extremely late into the morning, a marker of aristocratic idleness and privilege. The humor works by inverting expectations: what would be an early morning for most people becomes impossibly late for someone of sufficient leisure and means. The satirical point mocks upper-class decadence and the absurd extremes of gentlemen's indolence. The attribution to "Moonshine" indicates this is a humorous piece rather than political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN EARLY BIRD. “WELL, MY HOY ! COME ROUND TO BREAKFAST TO-MORROW, 8.50 SHARP, AND WE'LL DISCUSS IT."* “SORRY, OLD MAN, BCT THE PACT 18 1 NEVER STAY UP SO LATE AS THAT. —Moonshine. THE WORLD’S BEST very test. Gold Medals at New 1885; Chicago, 1893; Paris. 1900. dealers cannot supply ‘t, write to ers, BERNHEIM BROS.. Loulsville. Ky. All you have guessed ‘about life Insurance may be wrong. Ifyou wish to COLORADO ROCKY MOUNTAIN LIMITED NEW FAST TRAIN VIA THE GREAT ROCK ISLAND ROUTE ES Leaves Chicago dally 1.00 p. m,, arrives Den- ver 445 pm, Colorado Sprines 4.20 p. m., Manitou500p'm. ONLY ONE NIGHT OUT. CHEAP EXCURSION RATES ALL SEASON. JOHN SEBASTIAN, G. P. A., CHICAGO. Ramona and Athena NY, WZ, ee Inviting Delicacies for Dainty Desserts Natlonal Hiscutt Company. appreciated by connoisseurs Qelicate (Norank smell nortaste, 80 frequent in some + brands of Olive Oil) Suaranteed Gure il cf Olives only 3 RAE & CO. Estab. 1836 LEGHORN, ITALY comicbooks.com