Life — August 16, 1906 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page contains two distinct elements: **Left side:** A poem titled "Everybody's Out of Town" satirizes summer in New York City. It mocks the urban heat and crowding, describing phantom crowds and suffering children. The poem suggests that city residents flee ("everybody's out of town"), leaving behind only illusions of activity—a commentary on wealthy New Yorkers' seasonal exodus to cooler locales. **Right side:** An illustration labeled "In the Good Old Summertime" depicts a figure on a ladder against a large moon, appearing to swat at something with a newspaper or fan. This likely satirizes futile attempts to escape summer heat and urban discomfort—even fanciful gestures (reaching toward the moon) cannot solve the problem. The bottom section begins "A Rapid Conclusion," a brief dialogue between characters Softleigh and Miss Mabel about evening plans.