Life, 1888-10-04 · page 6 of 14
Life — October 4, 1888 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "How Daubson Got His Rug" - Commentary This satirical comic strip depicts a conversation between a Tiger and a character named Daubson, apparently concerning how Daubson acquired a rug. The Tiger initially praises what it assumes is a fine imported rug, but Daubson reveals he obtained it through questionable means—specifically by eating a missionary and obtaining the rug from a hospital. The humor relies on dark satire about colonial attitudes toward indigenous peoples and missionaries. The Tiger expresses mock horror at Daubson's behavior while simultaneously making derogatory comments about missionaries and suggesting the victim "didn't belong" to civilized society. The strip satirizes European colonial hypocrisy—condemning cannibalism while dismissing the humanity of both indigenous people and religious workers. The specific historical references remain unclear without additional context about who "Daubson" represents.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
IGER: By Jove, that’s stunning !—nota novice, I perceive. No, not exactly—think I've man- aged that atmospheric effect pretty well, don’t you, eh? TiceR: Oh, yes; there's no mistake about that—it's admirable! What school do you be- long to, Dusseldorf or Munich? We had a Dusseldorf man down here last year who was very juicy and tender, and some of the Munich fellows are tolerably palatable ; but I don't like the French school, they have a tendency to be high-flavored—garlic, absinthe, and that sort of thing, you know, you like my sky ? TiceR: Good, very good—tender asa suck- ing pig: streaky, stripy, something like me. Davnson: Ha,ha,ha! He,he,he! That's so, you'd make a capital sunset spread out flat, TiceR: Like a hearth-rug, eh? but [ain't flat enough for that, haw, haw, haw ! Davnsox : Ho, ho, ho! Tickx: Well, good-day! care of yourself. Daunson ; So long! I'm off—take See you later. * LIFE: HOW DAUBSON GOT HIS RUG. Daupson : jolly, too! Dooced intelligent tiger that— TiceR : Oh, by the!way, I forgot something. Strange how one will overlook things at times. Daupson: Yes. TIGER: I forgot toveat you. Davnsox : So you did—That's strange: it quite escaped my mind, too—fact is, I was so much interested in this little bit of tropical haze that it never occurred to me. TIGER: Oh yes, I know how itis. times get interested in things myself. Davnson: Well, I suppose there is no special haste in the matter? TiGER: Oh no; suit your own convenience —any time in the course of the week will do. Well, good-day!—glad to have met you; hope you'll enjoy yourself. Daunson : Don't like to seem to break my Isome- appointment, you know; and yet it would be ridiculous false delicacy on my part to allow myself to be eaten simply out of regard for the feelings of a tiger who, to me, is almost an entire stranger. No, he'll find these few ‘odd bones from the hospital here, and he'll think some one has anticipated him, that's all. The easiest way's the best way. TiceR: Now, that's what ;I call mean, Say, you there, what do you mean by inter- fering with my customers? Lion; Who'se been interfering with your customers? I wouldn't Teat one of your stringy old artists ‘if you were to give it to me. TiceR: Stringy! You never found a gen- uine imported Dusseldorf stringy. Lion: “Imported Dusseldorf!" He was only an American Yankee. Don’t you sup- pose I've eaten enough missionaries to know a Yankee when I see him? Tice: Oh, pshaw! You can't impose on me with such rodomontade as that. You know very well that you've eaten that gentle- man and that he didn't belong to you, so there's no use lying about it. Liox: You just say that again, and I'll chew your head off! 3 You will? comicbooks.com