Life, 1905-12-07 · page 20 of 60
Life — December 7, 1905 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two separate humorous domestic scenes. The main illustration shows a Christmas tree installation mishap: Mr. Morenstout, after extensive effort securing a Christmas tree in its holder, boastfully insists it's immovable—"firm as though rooted deep in the everlasting hills." His skeptical wife remains unconvinced. When he attempts to demonstrate its stability by climbing into the tree to prove his point, the entire tree collapses on top of him with a tremendous crash. The humor derives from classic domestic comedy: male pride and overconfidence leading to physical humiliation, followed by the ironic twist that despite his injury, the tree's holder was actually never properly secured to the floor. His triumphant vindication is undercut by this admission of his actual failure. The second scene titled "A Breakdown on the Road" (top illustration) appears to depict Santa's sleigh and reindeer experiencing travel troubles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Demonstrated. FTER about as much chopping, and hammering, and sawing, and pounding, not to mention the objurgating, and- ejaculating, and in and ornamental cussing, as the rage count arpenter uses in building a barn, Mr. Moren- stout at last persuaded the Christmas tree to stand erect in its holder “Are you sure it’s firm?” asked Mrs. Morenstout, cautiously. “Firm?” snorted Mr. nettled b; a suspicion. Morenstout, such “It's as firm as though rooted deep in the ever- lasting hills The wildest of wintery blasts could rin its voice howling around it, and it would only wave its A BREAKDOWN ON THE ROAD. branches in derisive invitations to come on and do it some more.” “It looks sort of wobbly to me,” ob- served Mrs, Morenstout, eyeing the tree doubi “You might as well call the Pyra- mids declared Mr. Moren- stout, heatedly. “I tell you nothing short of an earthquake could upset it.” i “We tip over,” said Mrs. Morenstout, un- belief still in her voi suppose it's all right. But I wish we'd hired a man to fix it.” This reflection upon the quality of his workmanship stung Mr. Moren- d endurance. Til show you!” he if you're positive it won't stout beyc exe and seizing hold of the tree, he attempted to climb into it —a rash and ill-considered action, im- mediately followed by so tremendous a thud, as Mr. Morenstout sat down suddenly on the floor with the tree on top of him, that‘even the garret win- dows jumped in their frames. Without a Mr. Morenstout slowly disentangled himself from the scratchy brace of the tree; then he rose painfully to his feet; then he anx- word iously lifted the tree to an upright posi- tion. It proved to be still firmly clamped in the holder, and a triun phant smile swept the signs of angui from his face. “There, what did I tell you, Mar- tha? The only thing the matter is that the holder wasn’t fastened to the floor.” Alex, Ricketts, comicbooks.com