Judge — June 27, 1896 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical comic strip uses extended metaphor to depict marital conflict. The narrative shows a husband engaging in nighttime activities—the strip suggests he's staying out late or visiting places his wife disapproves of (possibly bars or other establishments, given the era). The wife's remedy involves strategic use of fly-paper, positioned throughout their home to literally "catch" and trap him, forcing him to confront the consequences of his behavior. The final panels show him entangled, suggesting his comeuppance. The satire targets both the husband's irresponsible behavior and the wife's domestic tactics for controlling it. The fly-paper serves as metaphor for how wives might "trap" or contain troublesome husbands, reflecting early 20th-century domestic humor about marital discord and gender relations.