Life, 1901-12-02 · page 30 of 44
Life — December 2, 1901 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of humor: 1. **The Wild Boar Cartoon** (top left): A detailed illustration with a caption warning readers not to disturb a boar in nature. The joke appears to be a naturalist's cautionary observation about wildlife behavior—straightforward animal humor typical of the era. 2. **"A Christmas Call"** (center-left): A sentimental romantic poem by Clinton Scollard about a young man visiting his beloved Mabel on Christmas Eve. The narrative traces how their conversation drifts from social gossip toward intimate topics, culminating in a marriage proposal and an engagement gift of "a heart." It's gentle, Victorian-era romance with mild sexual innuendo ("boat-rides after dark"). 3. **"Agreed" and "Proposing Under Difficulties"** (right): Two separate joke snippets. The first is a brief marital humor piece where a husband and wife finally agree on something: their new baby. The second appears to be a setup for a comedic scene about a nervous proposal, with an illustration showing a house and a punchline about a crooked chimney—likely suggesting the man's nervousness about asking. The page overall represents typical early 20th-century *Life* magazine content: sentimental verse, nature observations, and domestic humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
&— SSE ac rT] Na WHENE'RK YOU STROLL “MID MOSSY LOGS. OBSERVE THIS SIMPLE RELY, BE CAREVCL, LAD, AND DO NOT ROUSE, TUR NASAL NICKLE-DROOL, A Christmas Call. IERILY around each gable Scemed the noisy north to grieve, When I went to call on Mabel At the shut of Christmas ev Every slope was samite-sheeted, And above the hills afar Gloriously my vision greeted ‘The irradiant lover's star. Down the stairs came Mab, a picture Yor a master brush to paint ; And I know you'll make no stricture When I say she looked a saint. Fairily around her floated Something like a scarf of mist, HIS PREY WE STIPLES IN THR POLDS OF BOTH IIS PAN-LIKE RARS, AND MUNCTIES ON MIS VICTIM'S THOUGHTS: WITH EYES SUFFUSED WITH TRAKS. And her parted lips, I noted, Were the color to be kissed. You may haply be a scorner Of the Jady known as Fate ; But if seated in a corner On a cozy tle-a-téte, With a maid like Mabel by you, In, I'l wager, Fate will walk With the rascal Love, and spy you, And intrude into the talk. So it chanced with us; we'd chatted Of the opera and y How the latest 1 flatted Ina most distressing way Of the dinners and the dances; O1 Scciety’s last whim ; Of Miss This and That—their chances In the seething social swim. Then unconsciously we'd drifted On to canters in the park ; Whence to summer-tide we'd shifted, And to boat-rides after dark. (From the trend of conversation You will note that Love and Fate Had crept in, and taken station Very near that t(le-a-t/te Then—but why prolong a lecture On a point devoid of doubt? You can readily conjecture How the sequel came about. When I summed each Christmas present Twas this way I made a start— Item one: (the thought was pleasant!) From Miss Mabel Blank—a heart! Clinton Scollard. Agreed. Nop: Well, at last I have found a subject upon the merits of which my wife and I have the most perfect unanimity. Topp : Do tell me what it is. “Our new baby.” Proposing Under Difficulties. CHARACTERS. FTE: A timid young man JD very much in love with SHE. HEis trembling on the verge of a proposal, Sue: A very pretty girl who adores HE, and who is anxiously awaiting the “SAY, 18 MY CHIMNEY ON STRAIGHT?” 2929360” oe oo PPO comicbooks.com