Life, 1891-03-19 · page 1 of 14
Life — March 19, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, March 19, 1891 - "Reason Enough" This cartoon presents a domestic humor sketch titled "Reason Enough." Two men converse; one reports his wife "seems vexed." The other explains she went shopping for ribbon, found it at the first store, and returned immediately—implying she's upset because the shopping trip ended too quickly. The joke satirizes women's shopping habits in the 1890s, suggesting wives enjoyed extended retail expeditions more than successful quick purchases. It reflects period stereotypes about feminine consumerism and leisure shopping as entertainment rather than necessity. The ornate left border containing small illustrated vignettes was typical Life magazine decoration of this era. The publication was America's leading satirical weekly during the 1890s, known for social commentary through humor and illustration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XVII. NEW YORK, MARCH 10, 1891. NUMBER 429. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1891, Mircnect & Mitten, REASON ENOUGH. ** YOUR WIFE SEEMS VEXED.” “Yes. SNE WENT OUT TO MATCH SOME RIBBON AND FOUND IT AT THE FIRST STORE.” comicbooks.com