Life, 1903-12-10 · page 16 of 58
Life — December 10, 1903 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the commercialization and materialism of Christmas gift-giving. The "Proclamation" by W. D. Nesbit mock-solemnly lists impractical, useless, or annoying items—"Agonizing bath robes," "Maddening match safes," "Temper-testing ash receivers"—that men typically received as presents. The joke targets both the obligation to give gifts and the poor quality of typical male Christmas presents. The accompanying anecdotes reinforce this theme: one dialogue questions whether honesty is possible (relating men's lies about love), while another mocks wealthy men's pretensions. A third joke ("One eye out!") shows a poor man asking an angel for wealth, requesting his rival receive *twice* as much—dark humor about accepting inequality. The central illustration depicts gift-giving between an adult and child, visualizing the season's generosity, though the "Proclamation" suggests such gifts are often thoughtless or unwelcome.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
554 A Christmas Proclamation. Re” All Men by These Presents: Smoker's Pride Cigars, Purple cravats. Hopeless hair brushes. Noisy neckties, Dainty smoking jackets. Agonizing bath robes. Fairylike bath slippers. Unreliable umbrellas. Meerschaum (?) pipes. Monogram socks. Chaste cigarette boxes. Maddening match safes. Enigmatic toilet articles. Scandalons scarf pins, Love-knot cuff links. Full-back pajamas. Rhapsodical suspenders. Temper-testing ash receivers. More match boxes. More cigars. More pipe racks. W. D. Nesbit. * DON'T sou suppose it is possible for a man to go through the world without telling a lie?” “I doubt it. Almost every man has been in love at some time in his life.” (ERISTMAS is the revelation of what man ~ was intended to be. TEEY and Jakey were rivals, One night, making up his accounts late, Jakey fell asleep and dreamed. He dreamed that the angel of the Lord stood by him and promised him anything that he wished, only his rival, Ikey, must have twice as much. After long thought Jakey turned to the angel and ex- claimed: ‘One eye out!” Surely. ‘]QIRST MAGNATE: I couldn't make up my mind whether I would enter my daughters at the horse show or not. Seconp Macnate: Why not? Style, con- formation and backing count for more than The Minnow: Groner CRAB, WILL You LoaN ME ONE OF YOUR STOCKINGS Pon Cunistuas? Toten ho His Monor: Policeman : WHAT'S THE CHARGE AGAINST THE PRISONER? RESISTING AN OFFICER. comicbooks.com