Judge — April 14, 1900 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes domestic anxiety over household expenses, specifically women's fashion costs. A husband complains he can't sleep; his wife offers the traditional remedy of counting sheep. He responds that he's actually kept awake worrying about the price of *her* lamb's-wool coat. The satire targets the tension between husbands concerned about finances and wives' spending on luxury goods—a common theme in early 20th-century humor. The irony is that the cure for insomnia (sheep) directly relates to his worry (sheep's wool products). The cartoon critiques both frivolous female consumption and the economic pressures on working-class or middle-class families during what appears to be a period of inflation or economic concern (the exact date is unclear from the page). The sketch style is typical of Judge magazine's satirical illustrations.