Life, 1892-11-03 · page 7 of 16
Life — November 3, 1892 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Deadly Parallel" This page presents a satirical story contrasting a woman's and man's thoughts about a broken engagement. The two illustrations with dialogue show them experiencing the same situation from opposite emotional perspectives—she agonizes over hurting him and questions her decision, while he moves on relatively quickly, planning to marry in the fall. The satire targets gender stereotypes: women are portrayed as emotionally overwrought and self-blaming, while men are shown as pragmatic and resilient. The "deadly parallel" structure emphasizes the irony that despite identical circumstances, their internal lives diverge dramatically based on supposed gender nature. The lower illustrations appear unrelated anecdotal humor about other social situations. This reflects *Life* magazine's typical mix of satirical commentary on contemporary manners and relationships.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“HELLO, SHANKS! JisMy JINKSES DAD Is DEAD?” DID HE LEAVE Jimmy ANYTHING 2” No, “LT pu iO; BUT I GU Dip YER HEAR DAT S HE DIDN'T LEAVE *-LIFE- THE DEADLY PARALLEL. What She Thought. OAM. EAR me! I wonder if I made a mistake ? I don't love him. Mamma is right about that, and I'm sure I ought not to marry him just because he has a little money. I suppose the poor fellow is eating his break- fast now. He'll never call again, of course. I really believe I'm glad. My right ear is burning—I guess he must be thinking of me. AM. { wonder if there is any possibility of his calling again to-night. 1am sure I hope not. Still 1 wouldn't care to spend the evening alone and perhaps no one else will call. After all he was certainly an interesting fel- tow ; yes, he was more than interesting, and 1 almost wish—— iPM. 1 am more satisfied than ever that I did well in following mamma's advice. It's much better to give a man an intimation that you don’t care for him seriously before he proposes, than to break his heart by a single —and we have been such good friends. 3PM. A note from him saying that he won't call to-night. Hem! I don’t know that I recog- nize the necessity for such a note. Who ever asked him to call or wanted him to call or expected him to call? I'm sure I didn't. 1 thought I made myself clear last night. O, my, why will things always go wrong? I'm going upstairs to have a good cry. 5PM. I want to cry some more, Dear me! I'm the most unhappy girl alive, and it’s all my own fault. I've broken his heart, and I've broken my own, and I detest myself. 7 eM. I don't want any dinner, and I don't want to see papa's friend, so there ! 9PM. Dear me! he's in the parlor, I'm not dressed, and my eyes are as red as the cur- What shall I do? 1 certainly must not keep him waiting. I suppose he has come, after all, to bring me back my letters. O, 1 wish— tains. 9.30 P.M, He hasn't mentioned the letters and he scems awfully melancholy. 1 almost believe — 10 P.M. I'm the happiest girl in the world. Who would have thought he intended to propose ? Engaged at last, and to him! O— What He Thought. OAM. WELL, 1 guess I acted very wisely after all, She's a sweet little girl, but we haven't either of us enough money to get married on, and I'm not so absolutely sure that I love her. Of course I don't. We've known each other a long time and all that, but that doesn’t always mean love, Of course I've got to stop calling on her so often, 1 suppose it will break her heart. I'll bet she’s thinking of me now. 1AM. I wonder if she'll expect me to-night? 1 hope not. I don't want to pain her any more than I can help. Wonder what I'll do with myself? Club? Bah! Theatre? Pooh, bah! I might call on some one else, but I wouldn't be paid to, If 1 hadn't been so cool last night I might still— 1PM, Well, I'm satisfied, after thinking it over, that I did the correct thing. Father is right. Never be too abrupt when dealing with the female heart. How pretty she was last night ! I feel rather mean. Guess I'd better write her not to expect me to-night. Then I'll stay at home and smoke. 3PM. Confound it! I can't help thinking about her, Must look as blue as the Alsatian Mountains. Saw father laughing at me a few minutes ago. How the deuce does he know anything about it? Wish her father and mine weren't such confoundedly thick friends. I feel like the very deuce. sh. Feel worse. Wish 1 hadn't written that letter. I know I'm to blame, Wonder what's the easiest way of committing suicide ? Wonder if father would sympathize with me then ? 7PM. 1 don't want dinner, Going to smoke— going to drink. Brandy's the thing. 9PM. Well, here Iam in her parlor, after all. Wonder if she'll see me? I'll bet she won't. She always was the proudest girl in town, I look like a fool; and, what's more, I am I suppose she'll insist on my taking back all my presents. 9.30 P.M. She hasn't said a word about last evening. I honestly believe I've got a chance. Here goes— 10 P.M, I'm the luckiest fellow in the world. I had no idea she would forgive me. Guess I've got the laugh on father this time. We'll be married in the fall and we'll go— Tom Halt. one, comicbooks.com