Life, 1892-02-11 · page 15 of 22
Life — February 11, 1892 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Life combines satirical commentary on courtship customs with historical anniversaries. **"A Leap Year Incident"** jokes about the tradition allowing women to propose to men in leap years. A young woman boasts she's made proposals because "the year is still young," subverting gender norms—though the joke turns on whether she means poor or rich American girls. **"The Lover's Message"** is a Valentine's poem satirizing materialistic courtship. The suitor lists virtues—noble ancestry, health, youth—but the punchline reveals his real appeal: "That I'm a millionaire." This mocks how wealth trumps genuine romantic merit. The page's "Anniversaries of the Week" mark significant dates: the 1841 bank suspension (financial panic), Queen Victoria's 1840 marriage (celebrity culture), and "Adam Writing the First Valentine" (B.C. dating is obviously absurd). The bottom cartoon shows a hotel-keeper unimpressed by a salesman's gas burner invention, dismissing it because "my brother is the coroner"—implying the device's failure would be profitable for undertakers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A LEAP YEAR INCIDENT. “ANSER MARIAR, HAVE YOU MADE MANY PROPOSALS OF + MARRIAGE YET?" “Not MANY; BUT THE YEAR [8 STILL YOUNG." that a girl can be original even though she is poor, or T mean a rich American girl.” “+ Is that all you would have to do, Pen ?" * Of course it is.” “ Well, that’s lots easier than I thought." * Pshaw !"" said Pen. * It’s as easy as pie." Tom Halt. THE LOVER'S MESSAGE. ~O, Valentine! Seek out the maid, To me than life more dear ; Invoke St. Cupid's kindly aid, And whisper in her car The message that I give to thee ; Put forth thy utmost art— . Win, if thou canst, her fancy free, And touch her maiden heart. Tell her that from its stedfast love There's naught my soul can stir; Swear by yon glorious sun above I'm true till death, to her. Tell her no blot my ‘scutchcon mars, No spot nor taint of shame ; From sires who bore a patriot's scars I trace an honored name. With gifts that wisest mortals seek— Tell her my cup o’ertlows ; Health lights my eye, and on my cheek Youth—fresh and ruddy, glows. But should she still unyielding prove, E’en then do not despair ; Tell her—her heart ‘twill surely move— That I'm a millionaire. RH. Titherington, FEBRUARY 7, 1841. THE UNITED STATES HANK SUSPENDS PAYMENT. FEBRUARY 10, 1840 MARRIAGE OF QUEEN VICTORIA TO ALBERT OF SAXF COBURG. Fearvuary 14, B.C. ADAM WRITING THE FIRST VAL ENT: Ihave a patent gas burner here that closes automatically when the flame is blown out. HOTEL-KEEPER: What do | want with it? is the coroner. My brother