St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-01
THE CoARsENEss OF LIFE.


The current number of Life, the
GLOBES amusing contemporary, illus
trates the tendency of jest to descend
into cOarseneSS. The saddeSt thing
about English society to the alert Amer
lean is the interest it takes in Punch
and the other local weeklies. To see an
EngliShman smile over the melancholy
pleasantrieS which the funny men of
their Illustrated press perpetrat2 as
jokes is an experience at once alarming
ana disheartening, and is commonly
quoted by psychologists as an evidence
of the kin ship of tears and laughter.
Thesaverage BritOn does not appreciate
Yankee humor, and when it's explained
TO him he generally criticises 1t as open
TO the charge OF cO1rSeness and vulgar
ity. Life has been a happy refutatiOn
of this accusation during the full period
of its prosperous and delightful exist
enct. Agreeable to look upon and JOY
Gus in its point of view. it has now for
many years brought few glad moments
every week to a large circle of read
er5. Its extraordinary success has
made it a type of American manners.
and its utteranceS are frequently used
to illustrate prevailing habits OF thought
and what our world is talking about.
The Illustrated American in recent
issue published a somewhat needlessly
serious article on the lesson of the con-
temporary stage, and undertook to show
how lightly dom este infelicitieS and
irregularities are regarded to-day by
inStancing the popular favor with which
plays like Mr. Wilkinson'S Widows"
are received. And in further proof of
the same notion it referred to the jest
after jest which had recently appeared
In Life son this very sacred human
relationship" Some of these it repro
duced, and they were as follows:
/. The worm will turn.
Scene-Drunken husband on sofa Wife
seated beneath study lamp, looking at him
with disgust.
She-You are a disgrace to humanity How
could have married you? ], a Van Twitter /.
He Wealthy but erringl No decent
woman would ever haye-hic-narried me,
anyway.
,. Scene-Young N lrried eouple IN tn cir
sitting room.
Mr.. B.-What are you laughing about, Jen-
ME:
Mrs. B.--I was just thinking what a fool
you looked VIII ell you proposed TO me
Mr.. b. lSighingl Yes; and | was just as
big fool as looked.
3. SO did we all of US
Scene-GOuug other with open book in
her lap. At her side her little daughter
Maiden Who has been reading of the
French way of conducting matri m onial
alliances -Namml, YOU knew papa quite
well before you married him, didn't you?
Mamma [Sadlyl-I thought / did
The GLOBE does not think that it is
altogether fair inference from Jokes
like these that either Life or its readers
take cynical or pessimistic view of do
nestle happiness. But, if it is, what shall
be said Of the refinement or delicacy OF
American society to-day in the light of
the jestS which suggested the opening
sentence or these comments? The first
picture Of this weeks number repre-
sentS man with a very protruding
stomach addressing pretty young girl,
who stands with one hand upon the
back Of chair. And here is the dia-
Iogue:
He-It IS the one wish of my life to pres
YOU TO my heart and call you my own.
~ She-I am afraid that can never be, gen
eraL with such an obstacle in the way.
He-Au obstacle. Tell Inc what it is tina
1may put it aside
The point Of this is. of course, is tina
the generals stomach is too big to per
NIT him to press girl to his heart The
next picture represents a room in (;
newspaper Office and man hugging {
woman, who appears in the followin!
dialogue as Miss Smith. 1t is cale
LAS Heard from BelOw-and as Seer
from Above and here it is:
Editor-in-Chief (trom the foot of the stairs
i say. johnson, can yous spare Miss Smith t
shorthand some letters for me
City Editor-Don't see how can. and go o
with what I am doing Have both hands full
as it IS, with her assistance.
Chief-How is the work coming on
City Editor-In great style. We've mad
up and are just going to press. I'm holdin
one form 50 that if something comes in l ca
let go. But it will be a tight squeeze
there is anything more!
And the dOuble-page illustration rep
resents an Old man seated Oh a sofa j.
the greenroom of theater, surrounde
by champagne bottles and four bale
girls in airy skirts. The caption to this
ANOTHER CASE OF ovERwORK.
Mr. Koupon Smiley has gone to pieces tn
autumn. all owing. his wife tells us, 10 h
getting no vacation last summer. Busine:
kept him in the city. Life is always sorI
for those prosperous Americans who al
Slaves TO work
The true explanation Of this remar