Life — February 23, 1888 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Fickle Calendar" - Life Magazine Page 105 This is a humorous illustrated essay on the four seasons, presented as vignettes showing how people behave differently depending on the weather and time of year. Each seasonal panel contains sketched scenes with accompanying verse commentary. **Spring** depicts romance and outdoor gatherings. **Summer** shows leisure activities. **Autumn** (labeled "Autumn") presents someone traveling or departing. **Winter** features a street scene with what appears to be a man in formal dress (top hat) conducting business, with a note crediting "O. Herford" as the artist. The satire appears gentle—poking fun at how human behavior and mood shift seasonally, a universal human experience. The "fickle" in the title suggests people's inconstant nature as seasons change. This is lighthearted social commentary rather than political satire.