Life, 1905-05-18 · page 9 of 32
Life — May 18, 1905 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a small child surrounded by adult figures in what appears to be a public space, captioned "Pussy Wants a Corner." This is a visual reference to the children's game, likely satirizing adult competition or conflict. Below are various satirical quips and observations. "To John D. Baptist" appears to reference John D. Rockefeller, the wealthy industrialist, mocking his business practices and wealth accumulation. "A Strong Guarantee" jokes darkly about poison and medical diagnosis. Other brief items mock New York's social evolution and changing fashions ("Knickerbocker" styles). The page represents typical Life magazine humor: biting social commentary on wealth inequality, American life, and contemporary fashions, presented through short satirical pieces rather than sustained narrative.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“PUSSY WANTS A CORNER.” To John D. Baptist. ELL, let them take it, what have they to do With how you made it, how your fortune grew ? Let Rey, Gladden thunder as he will, And Lawson pound your System,” heed not you Some for the dollars that you have and some Sigh for the profits that are yet to come, Just keep your cash, and let your credit go. But if you want to keep it—O, keep mum, ” O you suppose the time will ever come when all the nations of the carth will be at peace with one an- other ‘Well, it's possible, of course, that there may be only one nation left."” IRST we had the Strenuous Life, then came the Simple Life, now we have the Equitable Life. A Strong Guarantee. OULD-BE-SUICIDE (wildly): Give me any kind of poison you've got in stock that will kill a man dead! dead /? pe ap Drvcerst (wrbanely) Yes, sir: here is the very thing you want. We guarantee this to killa man so dead t his case will be diagnosed as “ plain-drank " by any HE needle in the haystack retired precipitately. “Tused to be all the but now my place has been taken by the good short story in the cur- rent magazines." ge," he observed, A BAD give-away—Rocke W YORK is getting along in “ Yes—she’s outgrown her Knickerbockers,” comicbooks.com