Life — February 7, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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# "His Preference" - Life Magazine, February 7, 1880 This cartoon satirizes French dining preferences through a breakfast scene. Mr. F. Swinclaunder Puge (who speaks French) asks a waiter what to order. The waiter suggests "Monsieur désirerait peut-être du jambon avec des œufs?" (perhaps ham with eggs?). Puge refuses, declaring: "No, I hate that; give me some ham and eggs." The joke relies on the apparent absurdity: the waiter's French suggestion and Puge's English response describe identical dishes, yet Puge rejects the French version while accepting the English version. This satirizes American snobbery and prejudice against French cuisine, suggesting Americans would accept the same food if presented in English rather than French—mocking both French pretension and American cultural insecurity.