Life, 1904-12-08 · page 23 of 24
Life — December 8, 1904 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous domestic narrative cartoon depicting three working-class women gossiping over a fence about home security. Two women obsessively describe elaborate precautions against burglars—locking doors, placing kerosene tins and nails at windows, searching under stairs and beds. The third woman, initially silent and "weary-looking," then reveals the punchline: she *did* find a man under her bed—an estranged husband she hadn't seen in seven years. Rather than being a burglar, he turned out to be a financial burden; she's been supporting him for a decade since. The satire targets obsessive, anxiety-ridden middle-class women and suggests that their real domestic threat isn't crime but dependent husbands. The joke relies on period anxieties about urban crime and marital obligation, presented through exaggerated female stereotypes—gossipy, fearful, and ultimately trapped. The page also contains period alcohol advertisements, typical of Life's commercial content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Man She Found. worried-looking woman with the tan- d red hair and the woman with the y voice and curling-pins were having an _+LIFE-_ An Ideal Holiday For the Home, the Club, the conversation over the back fence.| Jazed-looking caricature, with a peg in :mouth, was looking on, and listening. Said the woman with the falsetto hair, “Oh, a cat be too careful. I always lock up thing, and stick a kerosene tin in front of oor, and put nails in the windows. I dl safe then.” The woman with the voice let it crow trium- santly “A fine lot er good that would do yer if there burglar in the house! What's th’ good ilockin’ yerself in t’ be murdered? You v' do as I do, and have a good look und before yer lock up!" “So I do—I look everywhere!” sniffed the mman with the emphatic hair. ¢ of the voice fixed her with an unbeliev- ve. ‘Under th’ stairs ?"’ Of course!” “On top of th’ wardrobe?” Vell, you don’t think I’d forget that!” Under th’ bed, then?” ‘Why, you must think I'm a perfect fool! saldn’t sleep if I didn’t look there!” Then the caricature took the peg out of her ncth and raised up a tired voice. “I uster, v she sighed; “but I don’t look anywhere x. I uster worry meself inter fits, thinkin’ xen burglars in every corner. People uster sgh at me, but I uster tell ’em I might find bran any night—so I kept on lookin Tke weary one paused in her narration, Delivered by freight, ALL CHARGES PREPAID, toany railroad station in the United States, on receipt of the price, FEE EEEEEEEE ESTEE ESTEE TESTE EE EE EE TET TTT TTT ETT TTT TT TTT The above handsome CELLARETTE, with lock and key, contains twelve full-size bottles of wines and liquors especially bottled for and imported by us, as follows: ved a sigh, and clawed feebly at the wisp wey hair that had floated across her eyes. 1 BOTTLE CLARET Chateau Loudenne “Grand Vin” W.& A. Gilbey 2 BOTTLES SCOTCH WHISKEY Strathmill Gold Top, The King’s Whiskey W. & A’ Gilbe: Absolutely Pare, Highly Recommended Go on—go on!” 1 BOTTLE SAUTERNE WH ides The a : jel a Heavily i St. Croix, Old in Bottle 2 BOTTLES RYE WHISKEY 7 ed atom sighed again heavily, and W. & A. Gilbey’s Bottling | AER Con Petzate Rock w eeeeded. “Well, one night I did find a man 1 BOTTLE BURGUNDY | 1 BOTTLE “PLYMOUTH GIN eked under th’ bed, as usual, an’ there was and, that I 'adn't seen for seven year!” % woman with the revolutionary hair “Lor!” Se with the wild voice squawked_ hilari- Pommard, Old in Bottle W. & A. Gilbey’s Bottling 1 BOTTLE INVALID PORT A Fine Vintage Wine Bottled by W. & A. Gilbey 1 BOTTLE SHERRY 3 Years old, Pale and Finest Gin Imported Bottled by W. & A. Gilbey 1 BOTTLE COGNAC BRANDY “An Old and Delicious Brandy" Bottled by Boutelleau Fils, Cognac 1 BOTTLE “LIQUEUR” Cherry Whiskey D Bottled by W, & v4 Gilbey The Most Perfect Liqueur Remit price, $15, by draft on New York, Post Office, Express Order, or Registered Mail, made payable to Acker, Merrall & Condit Company, pep... New York CELLARETTE ON SALE AT ALL OUR BRANCHES | That,” coneluded the weary one, in a muf- H “tone, “was ten years ago, an’ ever since been supportin’ ’im. That's w'y I don’t “now. I couldn't afford to find another.” she sank from sight and resumed at ‘ashtub, and the other two wrecked the ler of her character—Kodak (Syd. BOND & LILLARD WHISKEY IS THE BEST Make the best cocktail. A delightfad 5 aromatic for all wine, spirit toda, Deverayes. A tablespoonfulin anounce Of sherry or sweetened water after meats, affords relief and aids digestion. BITTERS important to ses that its abbots, comicbooks.com