Life, 1902-06-19 · page 3 of 20
Life — June 19, 1902 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis The main illustration depicts a romantic scene with the caption "He: now look as if you were being kissed. 'Before or after?'" This is a visual joke about photography—the man instructs the woman to look kissed, and she responds by asking whether he means her expression before or after being kissed, implying she's uncertain which look is more flattering or authentic. The "Automobilia" section contains brief satirical notes about early motorcar culture: mentions of high-speed machines, auto-enthusiasts like "Young Percy Goggles," and Paul Odor's uncomfortable "bubbles" car. The humor targets the nascent automobile craze and its eccentric devotees. The final quote about "something that compels admiration in the man who goes bravely to the altar" is a cynical jest about marriage.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
He: wow Look As 1P YOU WERE BEING KISSED. “nerone on arten?™ Automobilia. R. HUGHEM DOWNE is having his machine fixed over to run eighty miles an hour, At present it goes only seventy-five. Young Percy Goggles has auto eyes, and won't be out for several days. He can be seen at his club from eleven to eleven. Mr. Shedgore Jones was arrested yesterday for smashing ® common person’s horse and wagon. When the Judge learned who he was, he apologized, but this did not pre- vent Mr. Jones from reprimanding him severely. Paul Odor was out yesterday. He made it as uncom- fortable as usual for everybody. His new ‘‘ bubbles” only went fifty miles an hour, but it hasn't got warmed up yet. (THERE is something that compels admiration in the man who goes bravely to the altar. Tommy Toad: wait, WELL! IP THE GREEN TURTLE WASN'T RENTED HIS BACK OUT AS A NOOF GARDEN. “ ERE'S a proposition to abolish the Senate.” “What! And make the United States a Re- public? comicbooks.com