Life, 1889-12-12 · page 1 of 16
Life — December 12, 1889 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, December 12, 1889 This page from *Life* magazine features a satirical illustration titled "In America" with dialogue: "I hear you are going to be married." / "No; I'm only engaged." The cartoon depicts two women in conversation, likely satirizing American attitudes toward engagement versus marriage during the 1880s-90s. The joke appears to contrast the formality or permanence of marriage with the apparently more casual nature of engagements in America—suggesting that an engagement might not lead to actual marriage, or that American engagements were treated as less binding commitments than elsewhere. The ornate decorative border and the magazine's format indicate this is social commentary typical of *Life*'s humorous take on contemporary manners and customs.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
MS VOLUME Iv. NEW YORK, DECEMBER 12, 1889. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 188, by Mrrcwait & Miier. IN AMERICA, “TL MEAR YCH_ARE GOING TO NE MARRIED.” “No; TM ONES ENcaGED,” comicbooks.com