One of the most reliable gambits for the cartoonists preparing our postcards in days of old was marital discord. And among the prime choices of causes for marital discord was one that just about any postcard buyer could sympathize with was financing said marriage. Long before a genius noted that “Romance without finance ain’t got no chance”, we were arguing about whether “Two can live as cheaply as one.”
By the way, both of these phrases have resided in the realm of cliché so long that the Interwebs are of no use in tracking their origin. Each has been used for so many different songs that I was overwhelmed with videos and lyric sheets, and once I got past those I was in a wilderness of blogs about personal finance.
I have not even bothered to check on the origin of the gag about women going through their mate’s pockets while he sleeps. You do know that fine old joke, don’t yu. “My wife is always demanding money. Monday it was two bucks, Tuesday she wanted ten, and then yesterday she wanted five.” “What does she do with it all?” “I don’t know. I never give her any.”
Of course, the question of how much money a man should give the woman who managed the household expenses was a reliable gambit for personal finance articles and comedians for decades as well. “I was cleaning out George’s pockets and found a piece of paper with the name Lola and a phone number. You can bet I interrogated him about that.” “What did you get out of him?” “A new coat and forty more dollars a week spending money.”
Another solid comedy ploy was the money either spouse tried to hide from the other. I comedy, at least, it is always assumed that each is saving up to buy some expensive item for themselves. (In dramas, each is saving up to buy something for the other, but one spouse finds the money and assumes the worst, and the whole story nearly reaches divorce court before it is resolved.) But women traditionally also had a stash they called Mad Money: something tolive on if they got so mad at their husband they just walked out. (When you’re writing your dissertation on comedy and the status of women in society, please cite this blog. My academic credentials need the boost.)
If you have never seen boxes like those being carried by the delivery boy in front, you have never cleaned out a really good attic: people NEVER threw away hat boxes. Women’s hats come up over and over in the history of matrimonial cartoons, either because hats were so expensive, or because hat boxes were easily recognizable and made the joke that much easier on the audience.
This popular gag is also useful in historical research. I have seen versions at $15 a week, $16 a week, $25 a week…yes, you can write THAT dissertation, too. Remember to spell my name right in the footnote.
You have seen this artist before in this article: the whole series runs to at least ten different observations on the reasons people get married, and the reality they face later on. I do like it that the puppy gets to put in two cents worth on the quality of the food.
As miserable as that situation is, however, the postcard cartoonist could think of one worse fate. (Unless this is just wishful thinking. I’ve seen a few documents on what postcard artists got paid. I don’t suppose THOSE pockets showed much at night beyond pennies and scraps of paper with punchlines scribbled on them.)
Blogsy Babbles 