Life, 1900-06-28 · page 7 of 21
Life — June 28, 1900 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The Duplicity of Herrick" This satirical story depicts a husband (Herrick) confessing marital infidelities to his wife after their honeymoon. The accompanying cartoons use visual metaphor to mock his explanations: he appears successively as an angel ("ministering angel"), then as a devil with horns and papers (suggesting financial/legal troubles), and finally as a "month later" version—implying his excuses have unraveled. The joke centers on the gap between Herrick's elaborate, self-exculpatory confessions and his wife's skepticism. His claims about gambling losses, blackguards, and drink ring hollow given his documented lies. The cartoons visualize his moral degradation from claimed innocence to revealed deception, satirizing men's tendency to rationalize infidelity through elaborate excuses.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Duplicity of Herrick. 'T was very soon after the ceremony was performed that Herrick’s conscience began to trouble him. Thereafter it did not cease to trouble him all through the honeymoon. But, man-like, he postponed his disclosure, and not until they . had returned to the city and were comfort- St ably installed in their own little flat did he succeed in screwing up the necessary moral courage. It was‘one evening after dinner that he took the bull by the horns, Wy ** Rose,’ he said suddenly, laying down J V7, his paper and regarding his wife with a 6. ay somewhat furtive expression, ‘‘I—I have a oe confession to make. It’s about this—this de- g AND HOW HE APPEARS A MONTH LATER! ee ORM ME cory tore SYOPEIRS [rs eal Mr. Worm: 8aY, MR. BUG, HOW MUCH 18 A SUMMER COTTAGE LIKE THI8 worTH? “WHY, THEY'RE UP TO THIRTY CENTS A PECK, JUST AT PRESEST." pravity business that I want to speak to you. Of course, you think I must have been an awful blackguard before I met you.” She smiled indulgently. ‘I don’t know about your having been an awful blackguard, but you certainly were pretty wild.” “You mean you think I was wild.” “Nothing of the kind, sir. I mean that I know you were. Didn't I have it all from your own lips?"’ “Yes, dear, but—but that didn’t prove anything, you know.”’ She looked at him in sudden gravity. ‘Do you mean that what you told me about yourself was untrue?” ‘Well, no, not exactly that. But I am afraid that—that I led you to form a somewhat erroneous impression of my past life.”” “I don’t see how that can be,” she replied, with convic- tion. “ Your confessions were so full and definite.” “That's just the point. They were a little too full and definite.” She seemed puzzled. respect? '” “In several respects. For instance, as to my gambling proclivities. I allowed you to infer that at one time I nearly ruined myself by betting on the turf.”” “ Well, and didn’t you?” “T never put five cents on a horse in my life.’’ She gave a little gasp. “Then again,” he hurriedly continued, ‘‘ you jumped to the conclusion that I had lost thousands of dollars at poker.”” *« Jumped to the conclusion !"’ she echoed, reproachfully. “You know you told me you had in so many words."” “I have no recollection of having said so,” remarked Herrick, ‘‘ but, anyhow, it’s of no consequence. The fact remains that I never played poker in my life.”” Mrs. Herrick’s pretty face assumed an expression which made her husband feel like a brute. “But the drink,” she said in a quavering voice. really did drink hard, didn't you?" Herrick shook his head. ‘‘ No, dear,” he answered, almost. “T don’t understand. In what “You