Life, 1891-12-17 · page 1 of 14
Life — December 17, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Life Magazine Page (December 17, 1891) This page features a satirical cartoon titled "In the Far West," set at Santa Monica beach. The scene depicts two figures discussing conundrums—riddle-like wordplay puzzles that were popular entertainment of the era. The "Intrepid Widow" poses a riddle: "Why is the letter D like a wedding ring?" A "Procrastinating Bachelor" responds, unable to solve it, saying he's "no good at conundrums" and gives up. The joke appears to be a pun: the answer is likely "because you can't be wed without it" (D sounds like "the"). This is typical of Victorian-era parlor humor and word games. The cartoon satirizes the bachelor's romantic reluctance and the widow's persistence in romantic matters through the device of riddling.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OLUME XVII. NEW YORK, DECEMBER 17, 1891. NUMBER 468. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1891, by Mirewent & Mitier, pe RICany a IN THE FAR WEST. Scene: The Beach at Santa Monica. Intrepid Widow; SPEAKING OF CONUNDRUMS, MR. SLOCUM, HERE'S A Goon oN: Wiv Is THE LETTER D LIKE A WEDDING KING ? Procrastinating Bachelor: Ov, I'M xo GOOD AT CONUNDRUMS, 7, W.: You GIVE IT UP?) WHY, RECAUSE te CAN'T HE wed WITHOUT! SEE?