Life, 1891-12-24 · page 1 of 16
Life — December 24, 1891 — page 1: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Not a Sign of Promise" This satirical cartoon depicts a domestic scene showing a woman (Miss Winterblooms, per the dialogue) waiting in a hallway while a man departs. The caption reveals their exchange: she told him she'd wait until half past four; he responded he wouldn't return until five. Her silent presence now suggests she's been stood up or deliberately ignored. The joke operates on gender and courtship dynamics of the 1890s: the woman has positioned herself to appear patient and devoted, but the man's deliberate lateness—and his apparent indifference upon leaving—undermines any romantic promise. The title sardonically comments that his behavior offers no hopeful sign for their relationship. It's a commentary on male inconsiderateness in romantic relationships.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
VOLUME XVIII. NEW YORK, DECEMBER 24, 1891. NUMBER 469. Entered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Copyright, 1891, by Mrrewett & Mitten, NOT A SIGN OF PROMISE. “Is Miss WINTERHLOOM IN?” “No, SIR, SHE TOLD ME TO SAY THAT SHE WAITED FOR YOU UNTIL HALF PAST FOUR.” “Rot 1 TOLD HER EXPRESSLY I WOULDN'T BE HERE UNTIL FIVE!” “Yes, sik, So Tl HEARD HER Say.” Comicbooks.com