Life, 1891-12-31 · page 10 of 53
Life — December 31, 1891 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Life's Fairy Tales" - Uncle Rody This page presents a fairy tale story titled "Life's Fairy Tales" featuring a character named Uncle Rody. The illustration shows an old man with distinctive features, labeled "A Man" in the artwork. The story concerns an unhappy father grieving his son's lack of ambition. The narrative takes a whimsical turn when mice appear on the father's bed, singing encouraging songs about "Uncle Rody." The tale appears to be a moral fable about unexpected salvation from despair—the father's spirits lift when the mice call out his name repeatedly. The satire likely mocks sentimental Victorian-era moral tales and their simplistic resolutions to serious life problems. The absurdity of tiny mice solving existential crises through song suggests gentle mockery of contemporary popular fiction's tendency toward saccharine sentiment.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
394 raised a social question of the gravest import to young men, and it is only social problems that are worth treating in fiction, / am a Problem and I expect to live.” “Then my doom is sealed,” floated from the windows of the Syuirre? for 1 Tam only am Inn, never thought of being a Problem, and it is too late to reform, erable sinner of an ‘amusin’ cuss,’ and when the clock strikes twelve I'll tumble from my perch.” rowled the Hrecker, as be hitched his trousers, of these bloomin' moral chaps with serious purpeses and ou won't,” * and sor devilish fine sentiments are and I, and ahead of the hearse.” “If blood will tell,” said A’haled, “* my future is secured, for 1 am a high-born son of the genii, and I talk the only pure Arabian any ing to have solemn funerals, while you ‘ther blokes who are amusin’ and full of blood, will ride But the people are tired of dialect,” said Jerry.“ Now, Lama pretty clever boy, but I found it hard to carry that mountain dialect more than four or five chapters.” + You canna preach out 0’ your ain poupit,” said the Little Min- éster, Dinna ye ken how they like the clish-ma-claver o' me and Tammas Whamond ? While Lady Fataise and Peter Jbbetson and Donald Ross and Jduna were clamoring to be heard in the discussion, the clock began to *LIFE-: strike the hour. From the alcove of the Classics came the gentle voice of a kindly cynic, whom they all recognized ; and they were silent : “You may settle your Fable-land in your own fashion. Anything you like happens in Fable-land. Wicked folks die apropos, annoying folks are got out of the way, the poor are rewarded. ® ® ® Ah, happy, harmless Fable-land, where these things are !"" While the bells outside were ringing, and a great noise was rising out of the city streets, the patricians and the parvenus among the gg New Year's greetings. Then the parvenus moved in solemn procession to the upper shelves, and made room for Droch, books were exchang: more. NEW BOOKS. ‘RAWFORD. By Mes. Gaskell. With a preface by Anne Thackeray Ritchie. London and New York: Macmillan and Company. The Perfume Holder. By Craven Langstroth Betts. New York: Saal- field and Fitch The Knighting of the Twins, and Other Stories. Boston: Roberts Brothers. The Old Stone House, and Other Stories. By Anna Katharine Green. New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons. Memoirs of the Prince de Talleyrand. Edited by the Duc de Broglie. Volume IV. New York and London: G. P. Putnam's Sons. An Old Sweetheart of Mine, By James Whitcomb Riley. lis: The Bowen-Merrill Company. By Clyde Fiteh. Indianapo- LIFE’S FAIRY TALES. HERE once lived in the Hub of the Uni who was the proprietor of a heavy grief, which all ‘ame from his only son being a crushing disappointment. He had the most ambitious plans for the future of this son; but as the boy grew up it became evident that he was not only without ideas of his own but lacked the capacity of recognizing one should he meet it unannounced. He seldom opened his mouth save for purposes of nourishment. s rather handsome, however, it often required time for strangers to discover what an he really was. His father had tried for many rs to be proud of him, but it an uphill struggle that wore heavily on his spirit. One afternoon as some impor- tant business led the unhappy father toward a decanter in the butler’s pantry, he discovered a little mouse weeping bitterly in a trap. The a man As he wi prisoner seemed entirely overcome by the horror of his posi- tion. You appear to be depressed,” said the father. “ Well I may be !" answered the mouse. “I was to be married this afternoon; now I shall be—murdered !" and again he broke down. Well, such a change of program must be disappointing,” said the unhappy father. “I should be upset myself,” and looking around to make sure that no one observed his folly, he opened the cage door. The mouse stepped quickly out and ran across the floor, but stopped in the doorway and said with a polite bow : “T thank you, sir, a thousand times. and I shall not forget it.” That night the unhappy father went to bed thinking gloomily, as was his habit, upon the empty future of his stupid son. He slept but a short time when he was awakened by an unusual sound. As he opened his eyes he discovered two mice upon the foot-board of his bed, singing in excellent time and with much expression, this couplet : You have saved my Please accept, O benefactor, From a happy bride and groom, Hearty thanks for having saved us From an unrelenting doom, Then, seeing he was well awake, they sang to a different air and quicker time : Turn, O turn your grief to joy ! Call three times for Uncle Rody ; You will find him just the boy, Just the bo: Then they scampered down the foot-board, and all was still again. This occurred for three nights. “On the third night he finally sat up in bed and said, more to gratify the from any faith in the performance, “Uncle Rody! Uncle Redy! Uncle Rody!” comicbooks.com