Life, 1905-10-05 · page 27 of 44
Life — October 5, 1905 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top illustration shows "The Whole Lamb Family"—anthropomorphic sheep characters dressed in formal attire, likely a visual pun playing on the surname or a comment on the wedding party's character. Below is the opening of a comedic short story by Theodore J. Grayson about a wedding gone awry. The groom, referred to as "the Count," has gone missing shortly before his wedding to Dorothea. The narrator (an usher) and other groomsmen scramble to manage the crisis—initially considering whether he's been injured or might refuse the ceremony. They eventually learn the Count's cab broke down and blocked traffic, explaining the delay. The satire targets the social pretensions of the era: a foreign count marrying into what appears to be an American family, the theatrical hand-wringing over wedding propriety, and the comedic incompetence of the wedding party. The humor derives from mild domestic chaos and romantic anxiety rather than sharp political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE THE WHOLE LAMM FAMILY. A Delayed Ceremony. By Tieopore 4 my gloves more “bridal “Billy” Je, saying in “s the Count, Where's the Count?” “My dear 3B coolly, “I really de ring my reh, when Lucas bustled up the a loud whisper, “Whe boys? I answered, at know. Yo hest man, and supposed to have him Te in custody.” “Oh, you know what a pea in a skillet he is! T cal was his rooms, and he said T must go ahead, he right along, and that was twenty-five minutes ago.” The fluted organ now pealed forth the grand old. strains from Lol nd through a crack in the leather doors of the vestibule I could see the white flounces of Dorothea’s Thad a queer sensation at the sight! extremely intimate with Dorothea. engrin, dress. Thad been But some five minutes had passed since question, and still no Count We were all friends of the bride, we ushers, the groom being far from his native land. Billy's excited J. Grayson. Feeling the importance of the dilemma, I raised my hand, and we all gathered in confer “What's the “Do you ¢ in the rear of the church, matter with him pose he’s hurt?” said another, X settlement 7” “Hear of y bother over the Cantlin in my ear “My word, what if he should refuse the jump!” om Boothly, our genial M. PF. 1 chill onsense, boys,” I said. We'll have to drule this thing until he gets here. Say, Billy, run around to ‘Andy’ and tell him to play the ‘Radium Dan or something lively on his old box, to keep the dowagers from staring hack so, and tell him to play, play, play, till I tell him to stop.” Then T went to Dorothea. She was very pale and sweet; I did not enjoy looking at her. “Jack,” she said, quietly, “where is E “He has just ‘phoned in to hold thir he’s dela whispered This very idea gave me he man’s lost or delay F ack a bit; that ved by his cab breaking down and a block on the I lied smilingly “Oh!” Dorothea appeared relieved. car line. “And how do I look, (This story ts continued on the 6th advertising page following.) comicbooks.com