Life, 1906-02-01 · page 30 of 48
Life — February 1, 1906 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This story satirizes the social phenomenon of the "only child" — a relatively new concern in early 20th-century America as families grew smaller. The narrator, one of six children, contrasts his rough-and-tumble working-class upbringing with a wealthy neighbor boy named Horatio ("Rats"), the pampered only child. The satire targets upper-class parenting: Rats wears velvet suits and a fancy collar, is coddled by his mother, and lacks toughness. When the neighborhood boys invite him to play baseball, he's physically weak and emotionally fragile — he cries when hit by a pitch, attempts violence with a bat, and bites during a fight. The joke is that despite his advantages, Rats is actually *worse off* — undisciplined, weak, and insufferable. The working-class narrator's tough childhood has made him more capable. The final irony: the narrator gets punished by his father for fighting, yet feels *glad* Rats wouldn't surrender — validating his own harder upbringing as superior character-building.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a boy, There's six of us in fambly besides zy Maw and Pop, and I NV ceme in between a\ scmewhere : n and Helen— nd allethe rest 1, and the baby lot of trouble, Spencer. NateWhite. Chub Pratt and Bud €mith, when the Only Child comes up The Only Child lives in eo next block I heard Maw ay he was the Only Child and that’s what the matter was m—whatever Maw nly child nce to himself ‘nd everybod ’ she never had but one of ‘em and she never waats another. m bad. A scrub better with six than We needed s som five Only Child's name ‘s Hora | him “Rats” for short OT says. Tome on can bat next.” 1," says Bud Child, Mama first and Tecan,” s “but T'Il have to se change my clothes.” We ail grinned. Oh! you onghter see how he looked. He had on a regular velveteen suit and a wide white collar. plastered over _ his shoulders and a round little hat and He was slick. He too. So I says, n then an’ come back quick.” ther Bill swiped the ball and sent it way out in the field: and me after it t Bill got home all and the Only Child laughed r: soon he comes in overs t oughter see ‘em, | with straps, -LIFE:- The Only Child. “You can't play in them things,” says Nate “[ must.” says the Only Child. “Mama says 30.” Then he steps up to the You with his c back Bud was pitehin’ “One strike, rosee him fan the air s all sticking out in says the umpire. I was catchin ing at the same time. Two strikes.” says I Then Bud he winked at me the bail straight at the Only Child. It hit him in’ his) stomach an’ glanced off hhen the Only Child b id it on purpose gan to bawl. id the Only Child. “Y¥ winked.” “Didn't id Bud, Did! “Didn't!” The Only Child starts for Bud, se cks up a bat and ming Bud runs away Then the Only Child comes at me. Mad! Oh, my! Screamin I grabbed the bat away from him ren how he did go at me. I mad! couldn't help but laugh. He was cry- ing something fearful, he was so mad. ght!" shouts Chub, and they made a ring We went at it. I didn't want to fight the Only Child, but I had to We grabbed and hit, all around, and around. Phen he tried to bite me, and / got mad. I punched him in the eye and fell on him. “Have you had enon; says I. e screamed. I rubbed some dirt in his mouth. “Enough says I he spit out Then the boys all shouted and T looked up quick and scen his mother . Maybe she wasn't mad. I guess she was. I didn't Gee! I got licked for that. Pop laid it on thick. He's so busy all the to see time, he never does anything to us unless he has to, but when he has to—tint! I was kinder glad the Only Child wouldn't say he had enough. His curls don't. mean so much as I NS i tle “ave you had enough ?? says 1." comicbooks.com