Life, 1893-01-05 · page 55 of 60
Life — January 5, 1893 — page 55: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This dramatic sketch satirizes marital tension and female independence in early 20th-century America. A husband, anxiously waiting at home, imagines his absent wife's infidelity during a late evening out. When she finally arrives—flushed and "with suspicious precision" (implying intoxication)—she claims she met a friend for chocolate that turned into dinner. The satire cuts both ways: it mocks the husband's paranoid jealousy and his obsessive worry over propriety, but more pointedly, it ridicules the wife's transparent, absurd excuses and her casual disregard for his concern. Her claim that "messenger boys never do deliver messages" (referencing comic strips) suggests Life is satirizing how women evade accountability by treating serious situations as jokes. The piece reflects anxieties about changing gender roles and women's increasing freedom to move about unchaperoned—a genuine social shift that both amused and troubled the magazine's readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
*- LIFE: i 114 ELEGANCE AND FORCE. Tom: Suk's 4 palsy, AIN'T SHE, BILL? Bill: Daisy? Wy, & DAISY AIN'T NO SUKUMSTANCE TO HER. SHE'S A WHOLE BooKay ! THE WAY IT MIGHT BE. CE Sitting-room of an uptown house, evidently belonging to com- Sortably well-to-do people. A fire burns in the open grate, but it needs trimming and more coat. Two or three books lie open, face downwards on the table, and every burner ona large chan- delier is at full blaze, Seated in an uneasy chair, gazing moodily at his boots, is a Ban. Appearances seem to denote that the Man is Married. A clock on the mantel strikes seven linkling strokes with all the accuracy of the French time-piece. THE MAN (stirring slightly): Hump! hi enty-five minutes past three, No || woman can make me believe that it is i necessary for her to be out at such an hour | 1 asthis. By Jove, | won't believe it! (Rises, goes to the window and looks out), Rain- ing. Case of cab; and the usual argu- ment with the driver on the sidewalk, I suppose. Ab, well! (Sughs, and returns to chair. Picks up a half- smoked cigar and relights it. Pullshard at it for two or three puffs, then throws it in the fire.) Confound a cigar when it's once out! T'll light up a fresh one, although I'm nervous now through smoking too much, lid). Empty, by Jupiter! Now, I'd like to know what becomes of my cigars, I don't smoke them, and there's no man in the house. What was that? (Listens). Nothing. Great Scott! When is this sort of thing going toend? [think Pll finish it all up and always saying so, but I don't do it. ( deep, buss voice is heard sing- ing *Ta-ra-ra boom-de-ay,” some distance down the street, with con- siderable rallentando). \ wonder if that's Pshaw! It can't be. A cab drives up to the door sith much hoofelatter, A short dis- (Goes to ornamental cigar-box and rats back to the governor. I'm cussion follows its stopping, which ts ended by a voice saying: “All right, old man. Here, take this and get yourselfa drink. I guess that ll square it." The front door bangs. The cab drives away. Enter sitting-room,a Woman. There is a joyous flush on her face, an electric sparkle in her eyes. She walks steadily but with suspicious precision. Tue Woman : bed long ago. ‘Tue Max: Why should I go to bed? I cannot sleep. Tue Woman: Nonsense, darling. Pure imagination brought on by nervousness and—and whatever else it is. Tne MAN: Where have you been? THE WoMan (taking off her wraps): Well, dear, I'll tell you how it was. I met Mrs. Golightly this afternoon—hadn't seen her since goodness knows when, you know—and we went into Tryhards'and got a—a cup of chocolate. Well, you know yourself how hungry half a dozen—cups of chocolate will make anyone, so she insisted on my going to dine with her. THe MAN (/cily): Coulda't you have let me know, instead of allow: ing me to imagine all sorts of things ? Tue Woman (coaxingly): Foolish boy !- What could you imagine ? | did try to telephone you but the wires were all out of order. THe Man: What was the matter with a messenger boy ? THE Woman: A messenger boy! Well, darling, you see—(then in tones of intense surprise)—but, do you mean to tell me that no mes- senger boy has been here ? Tue MAN: None whatever. Tue Woman: Why, what an extraordinary thing! But then, you know messenger boys never do deliver messages. Look in any comic paper in the country and you'll find it’s so. Tue Mas: Did you send a messenger ? Tue Woman: What's that, dear? THE MAN: Did you send a messenger ? THE WoMAN (11th sudden gravity): Do you or do you not wish me to tell you all about it ? What, still up, dearie? I thought you would be in AFTER THE OPENING OF THE WATER COLOR EXHIBITION. Ny the, “RAWEL THERE'S ANOTHER FELLOW'S SOLD § PICTURE.” comicbooks.com