Life, 1904-05-26 · page 16 of 22
Life — May 26, 1904 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several humorous anecdotes satirizing social pretension and institutional absurdity: **"Scissors at Nulls"** mocks the unreliability of servants through a story about Henry, the body servant of John Forster (Dickens's friend). The joke: the normally impeccable Henry becomes clumsy at dinner, then desperately asks to leave, revealing he's been "on fire" for two hours—a physical explanation for behavioral collapse that undercuts expectations. **The train seat anecdote** satirizes class assumptions: a well-dressed passenger assumes a newcomer is poor, but the newcomer's polite response ("I thought I'd pick out a gentleman for a seatmate") subtly mocks the passenger's rudeness by implying he's no gentleman. **The Senator Sniffkins pieces** ridicule Congressional incompetence: a senator sleeps through roll call, then shouts "Not guilty!" when finally called upon—absurdly suggesting the Senate is debating criminal charges. The commentary notes this proves the Senate finally has "conviction." All three pieces share a theme: exposing hypocrisy or incompetence beneath surface respectability. The page is primarily content-driven rather than image-driven satire.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FEIGORS AT Miss Tox M. ‘Tansee, at her home in New York about servants. “I have been readi “John Forster's ‘Life of Dickens,’ and the book has reminded me of the pompous Forster's body servant, Henry. Dick- ens described Henry during his last visit to America. “The man, it seems, was devoted to his n From one year's end to the other he never needed a the writer, was talking she said, ster. reprimand “It therefore surprising one night, when Forster several writers at dinner, to see the se make error after error. He upset a plate of soup, and Forster uttered a cry He forgot to serve the s: ‘Why, Henr ner seem a slovenly and poot was of alarm, and his master said, made the excellent di repast “When, at the end, he had walnuts on the table, Henry chair and said in a tremulous voice "Please, can you een on fire for the last two ho and Forster's the over set leaned sir, spare me now? house has New York Tribune. the best the great ludes thus beautiful little touch of Gilbert in a letter on “Authors” Ghost humorist sends to The Author, He co By the way, I find in this artic “poor Gilbert's inimitable 1 Tiere is a n allusion to in am much that I’am in robust bealth. disembodied, I am pleased to say that I even an author's ghost.—Yours faithfully WwW. Ss. If he supposes me to be am not BERT. finely-dressed passenger in one of the seats in the rear car, took a paper from his pocket and began to read. “Plenty of empty seats in here yet, aren't the growled the man in fine raiment moving ai grudgingly. “Yes, sir,” pleasantly replied the newcomer, “but it will be crowded pretty soon, and I thought I'd pick out a gentleman for a seatmate while I had a chance."”—Youth's Companion. eon Tux name of Senator Sniffkins came afar d the list, and the voice of the clerk intoning the call made an excellent soporific. Senator Sniffkins was very drowsed. senator Shugar,” at tired. He nodded finally droned the clerk. rese: ‘Senator Sniffkins. That gentleman emitted a half-snore. Senator Sniffkins about him with the slumber. ator c. Senator himself and starc stare of inter: roused vacuous called for Sniffkios," the clerk Sniffkins evidently realized what was wanted now, Sitting up in his seat, he shouted, firmly, ge Pittsburg Post. Tuank heaven, it cannot tonger be said that the United States Senate is a body without convic tion. ¢ Burton has redeemed it from that re: ww Orleans Times-Democrat. FE rwovinnere- GETTING INSIDE INFORMATION. proa obliged to the writer for his sympathetic reference ¢, but why he ns that I embarrassed circun IT have much pleas assuring him that I still contrive to keep my If he is ¥ Mi tances, What I'm nearly dead. Permit Pn litely, “to call your attention to our undertaking « partment in the basement."—Philadelphia Ledger me a crus! Ir lacked but five m train to start from the down-town st suburbanites were hur the garb of a mecha es of the a me, dove water. impression that T am a helpless inv sme to inform him Lire is for sale by all Newsdealcrs in Great Britain. Company, Bream's Building, Chancery Lane, London, I. C., FE: Maturity, Purity, Flavor all just right in Hunter Whiskey The connoisseur’s delight; his taste is gratified and his judgment satisfied. WILSON WHISKEY That’s All! Sold at all first-class cafes and by jobbers, WM. LANAHAN & SON, Baltimore, Md. “Developing and Printing” Th A Print in Two Colors AFTER W. B. KER Reproducing exactly the light effect of a Dark Room Size, 15 x 20 $1.00 LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY 17 West 31st Street, New York Egyptian Cigarette of Quality AROMATIC DELICACY— MILDNESS— PURITY ‘UOFYRIGHT, 1905, “Begins Right, Ends Right, Is Right in the Middle.’”—New York Central comicbooks.com