Life, 1894-06-28 · page 13 of 19
Life — June 28, 1894 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains satirical commentary on women's social roles and public participation, common themes in early Life magazine. The top illustration depicts a social scene where "Miss Hudson" smiles at "Mr. Dawson," with accompanying dialogue suggesting romantic interest. The joke hinges on the lap-dog's reaction—licking the man's hand—as evidence of encouragement, treating the woman's agency as incidental. The main article, quoting the *North American Review*, presents deliberately inflammatory anti-feminist arguments: that women seeking public roles would corrupt politics with emotionalism, poor judgment, and cruelty, while their private sphere remains "uncultivated." Life's framing—"strong language...may be true"—appears to mock these positions as "unwelcome truths" people prefer ignoring, suggesting satirical critique of such attitudes rather than endorsement. The bottom anecdote about "Mr. Jacobsohn" uses Yiddish-inflected dialect humor (common period stereotyping) to deliver a punchline about financial security through drafts. The baseball cartoon titled "A Sacrifice Hit" appears unrelated to the text above.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Hupsox sMiLe oN Dawson, MR. Jay?” NCOURAGED,” ‘HAS SHE SAID ANYTHING 2?" “No, BUT WHEN HE PUT HIS ARM AROUND HER WAIST LAST NIGHT, HER LAP-DOG LICKED HIS HAND.” UNWELCOME TRUTHS. i has always given LIFE pleasure to take woman's part against the lowet animals, including man; but he feels himself in a false posi- tion when called upon to hammer a woman for assailing her own sex. in the North American Review, says: he immense area which lies open to her in private life is almost entirely uncultivated, yet she wants to be admitted into public life. Public life is already overcrowded, verbose, incompetent, fussy, and foolish enough without the addi- tion of her in her sealskin coat with the dead humming bird on her hat. Woman in public life would exaggerate the failings of men, and would not have even their few excellences. Their legislation would be, as that of men is too often, the offspring of panic or prejudice ; and she would not put on the drag of common- sense as man frequently does in public assemblies. There would be little to hope from her humanity, nothing from her liberality ; for when she is frightened she is more ferocious than he, and when she has power more merciless.” This is strong language and it may be true ; in fact, there is no doubt that it is true. But then, it is an unpleasant thing to believe, and why should we believe it if we don’t want to? R. JACOBSOHN, about to start for Europe, was asked * What if the boat sinks? What will you do then?” He replied “ Vot difference dot make. 1 takes my money in drafts.” BASEBALL TERM. A SACRIFICE HIT.