Life, 1893-12-28 · page 47 of 53
Life — December 28, 1893 — page 47: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical poem and illustration mock wealthy engaged couples obsessing over engagement gifts. The narrative follows an engaged pair counting fifty-nine tea cup sets received from friends—prestigious engagement "loot" in their smart society circles. They anxiously await a sixtieth set, but tension erupts when he questions why she expects another gift from a particular woman. Their quarrel escalates into an argument about past relationships, culminating in them knocking the table over and shattering all the cups. The satire targets the materialism and superficiality of upper-class engagements, where couples accumulate luxury goods rather than focusing on genuine affection. The ironic ending—that "china cups are china, and hearts...are hearts"—suggests their shallow preoccupation with possessions destroys what should matter most: love itself. The accompanying Gorham silverware advertisement appears deliberately placed for comedic contrast, promoting expensive gift items to the very audience being mocked.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OVER THE TEA CUPS. By the low tea table sat they, counting o'er and o'er again, For the seventh time, the tea cups from their friends, the girls and men ; Those small betrothal offerings, that sweetly signify How cup and saucer, like two hearts, have been designed on high. They moved in smart society, and since unused to toil, Engagement loot was large, and rich would be the marriage spoil ; So o'er the tea cups sat they, and those numbered fifty-nine, And yet he longed for one cup more, for one more did she pine. “1 wonder whether Maud has heard ?"" he murmured twixt his sighs, “I wonder whether Jack forgets ?” she did soliloquize ; And then each gazed most tenderly into the other's eyes. He read her thoughts, and like a man, he said ‘*I don’t see why You should expect 4/m to send one—now don't begin to cry !” She didn’t, but instead she lisped, ** How odd that you should miss The girl that made you such a fool, at such a time as this !” He started up, she started up—Sir!—Madam !—Sir no more! They brushed the table—crash it went—the cups were on the floor! Those small betrothal offerings that sweetly signify How cup and saucer, like two hearts, have been designed on high. ECONOMY IS WEALTH. “1 think"—she chokes—" your hat is in the hall"—and as he “ABRAMS WILL SEE DOT ON HIS VAY TO HIS PIZNESS UNT I WILL SAVE A starts POSTAL CARD!" “1 guess "—he sneers—"'they can be fixed since we've got all { the parts 1” « For china cups are china, and hearts—why they are hearts. Gorham’s Holiday Suggestions. The Gorham M’f’g Co.’s preparations for the holidays have never been so complete as those made for the present season, nor have they ever offered so large an assortment of attractive and inexpensive articles in solid silver. Among the smaller fancy pieces there are Bon Bon Baskets and Spoons—pretty little Jardinieres, Flower Vases, Jewel Boxes, Trays for pins, hair pins and toilet articles, Glove Buttoners and Glove Darners, and many other pieces appropriate for gifts. GORHAM M’F’G CO., SILVERSMITHS, Broadway and 19th Street, New York. comicbooks.com