Life — November 28, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Life Magazine, November 28, 1889 - "New Horse" This cartoon satirizes what appears to be a situation involving a woman (Miss Pelham) and a new horse. The dialogue suggests Michael has suggested the horse is "slow, obstinate, haste forwardness" but Miss Pelham wants to ride faster. The joke hinges on a double meaning: Michael recommends she ride the horse "at the saddle" and "git on faster that way," while the punchline implies the horse itself is "a devil for hackin'" (renting out for use). This appears to be wordplay mocking either the horse's poor qualities or, more likely, making an insinuation about the woman's character or reputation through the vehicle of horse-trading metaphor. The satire's precise target remains unclear without additional biographical context.