Life — December 1, 1900 — page 25: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon about marital discord. A man, dressed formally and angry, declares he's leaving his wife forever and won't return until "the last day" (likely meaning Judgment Day or doomsday—a dramatic exit threat). His wife, seated and reading, responds dismissively: "And let it be well along in the afternoon, dear"—suggesting she's so unbothered by his departure that she only asks he stay away until afternoon, implying his threat carries no weight. The joke mocks both spouses: the husband's grandiose, empty ultimatum and the wife's casual indifference, suggesting their marital conflict is routine and his dramatic gesture means nothing. It's typical early-20th-century Life magazine humor about domestic disputes, portraying marriage as a battleground where neither party takes the other's complaints seriously.