Life, 1885-08-20 · page 3 of 16
Life — August 20, 1885 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This is a satirical cartoon titled "An Inconsiderate Proposition" showing a domestic scene where a man proposes to a woman while children and household items surround them in disarray. The caption reads: "Mr. S. shall take the bird over to Mrs. S. by no means. She must not be entrusted. That it would be entrusted. That it would be to much to one." The satire appears to mock marital dynamics and domestic responsibility—specifically, a husband's inconsiderate proposal or request made amid household chaos. The children, scattered belongings, and cramped interior suggest the woman already bears significant domestic burden. The joke targets husbands who make unreasonable demands of wives already overwhelmed by household management, suggesting the proposed arrangement is impractical given her existing obligations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BE IN AT ONCE, AN INCONSIDERATE PROPOSITION. 'Y NO MEANS; SHE MUST NOT BE INTERRUPTED. TAKE IT INTO THE HOUSE. 4 4 a we e 5 > an 2 a ° & x & a a x 3 is} & a = & a ae a © & 4 J 5 a < 5 a Fs} a % < = 3 = a a Ci 2