Life, 1890-02-13 · page 3 of 18
Life — February 13, 1890 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (Volume XV, Number 372) This page contains three separate humorous pieces: 1. **"St. Valentine"** (header illustration): A decorative Valentine's Day themed drawing. 2. **"A Tip" and "The Difference"**: Two brief jokes contrasting horse-racing terminology and owl homophones (wit/to whom vs. wit/to who). 3. **"Absent-Minded"** (main cartoon): Depicts a man (Janckins) returning home after a long absence from Chicago, confusing which family member he married. His wife explains he married "one of the Smith girls"—not her sister. The satire mocks absentmindedness and suggests marrying members of the same family are interchangeable. The cartoon reflects early 20th-century upper-class domestic humor focused on forgetfulness and social embarrassment rather than political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE DIFFERENCE. T. VALENTINE'S the favorite HE Chicago owl says: “To wit, to who.” The Bos- S Of maidens in the race: ton owl says: “To wit, to whom.” But still I'll back (and pay for it) —_—_—_—__— St. Dives for a place. A HOWLING Success—The prosperous newsboy. ABSENT-MINDED. Jawhins (after long absence from Chicago): AND SO JONES HAS GOT MARRIED SINCE I WENT AWAY? She; WHY, OF COURSE, DIDN'T YOU KNOW IT?—TO ONE OF THE SMITH GIRLS—THE VERY FAMILY YOU MARRIED INTO! Jawhins (dreamily); YOU DON'T SAY; IT WASN'T THE GIRL I MARRIED, WAS IT? OR WAS IT HER SISTER? comicbooks.com