Life, 1896-12-05 · page 9 of 34
Life — December 5, 1896 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "When Nelly Hangs Her Stocking Up" This page presents two poems about Christmas from the perspective of poverty. The first poem, attributed to Earle H. Eaton, reflects on the hardships of the poor during the holiday season—"being poor's the cruel cross / I bear each Christmas day." The accompanying image shows a humble interior with a fireplace, evoking a modest home. The second poem, untitled, uses more whimsical language about winter and holiday imagery (snowflakes, stocking-hanging) to frame similar themes of economic struggle. Together, these pieces appear to be *Life* magazine's social commentary on wealth inequality and the bittersweet reality of Christmas for working-class Americans, contrasting festive tradition with material deprivation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WHEN NELLY HANGS HER STOCKING UP, HE sun deserts his flaming car, Night ends the winter’s day; Each moon-kissed snowflake seems a star In earth’s white Milky Way. The lights go out about the town, Mid crash and clang of locking up, And some one wears a snowy gown, When Nelly hangs her stocking up. I rarely pine for earthly dross, ‘Tis just my simple way; But being poor’s the cruel cross I bear each Christmas day. As chiming bells betray its birth I drain the dregs in sorrow’s cup, And sighing, wish | owned the earth, When Nelly hangs her stocking up. Earle H. Eaton, comicbooks.com