Life, 1906-02-01 · page 31 of 48
Life — February 1, 1906 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a narrative story about two boys—a narrator and an "Only Child"—establishing friendship despite class/social differences. The illustration shows them together by a fence. The satire targets **overprotective parenting and maternal coddling** of wealthy or privileged children. The "Only Child" is portrayed as physically weak, nervously controlled, and emotionally stunted by his mother's constant supervision, washing, dressing, and educational demands. He cannot play ball, must sit on clean surfaces, and cannot associate with the narrator without maternal permission. The irony is pointed: the "wickedest boy" (the working-class narrator) represents actual vitality and freedom, while the sheltered, "precious" only child—despite his advantages—is portrayed as pathetically constrained and corrupted by overindulgence rather than genuine mischief. The humor satirizes early-20th-century middle-class anxieties about child-rearing, suggesting that excessive protection produces nervous, delicate, dependent offspring rather than healthy children.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
| | “Tes veal nice to be wicked, ain't it ?* he says.” thought. If he wasn’t an Only Child he might amount to something I saw him a couple of days after. He made a face at me. But I didn't mind that. I wasn’t mad at him. Be- sides, he hadn't given in, and I liked him for that. “I didn’t mean to burt you,” I says. He didn't say anything, only he stopped making faces at me. “I didn't mean to hurt you " I says aga “I can’t speak to you,” he says. “My Mama won't let me ‘sociate with you. “Don't hav tale!” “Didn’ Mama did t 10,” I says, “Tattle- says the Only Child. “My at. She told your Mama I wouldn't do that.” “Wouldn't you?” says I. “Honest?” “Cross your heart?” “Cross my heart.” “Less play marbles,” says I. I kinder liked him, “I got three pure’s.” For keeps?” says the Only Child. “Yes—sure.” He looked around. “I got ter go home ter get mine,” he says, “and then Mama will ask m home, but me. I got heaps of she wouldn't let me.’ ERE Then we went over beside the f+ where no one could see us and J sat down and we talked. The Only Child wouldn't sit down at first, ‘cause he said his Mama wouldn't let him, ‘cause the ground was always damp and cold. “I dare you to,” I says, and then he plunked right down. “I guess,” he said, “I'll catch cold Mama says I always do.” “Cold nawthin I says. Then I kinder looked at him. His face was chalky. He wasn’t very strong, and his hands were almost clean “Why don't you learn ter play 1?" I says. Good ball, like me and Bud and the rest of the gang.” “L wisht I could,” he says. “Honest Ido. But Mama says I'm not strong enough. I'm nervous, you know.” “What's that?” I asked. “I never heard oi it before. Is it catching, like measles?” “Naw, I guess not. Oh, it’s kinder fidgety and cross. Mama says I have a real high-strung, nervous, sensitive, v9 delicate organisashun.” He leaned over to me. “Did you know,” he say a really wonderful child? I laughed right out “L don't believe it,” I said He shook his head up and down “Yes.” he said. “Honest! It’s true. Mama says so.” Then he turned nearer. “that Pm a says,” he whispered, “that you're the wickedess boy in the whole place. She says if you get the chance you'll c’rupt me, Will you?" I handed 1 im a cigarette “Honest,” 1 said, “1 we Ever tried ‘em? Cornsilk.” uldn't. I had a whole box of matches I swiped from the cook and I gave him alight. He puffed and coughed, and I knew it was his first. But I didn’t say so. I hated to make him fecl too goody-goody “They're kinder nice,” he said with tears in his eyes. “Say, did you ever smoke a real tobacco one?” “Once,” I says. “My, I was sick.” “That's the only kind I like,” says the Only Child. “You ain't!" T says atin.” pure Honest!” and then he grinned. (This story is continued on the fijth advertising page following.) 157 “It's real nice to be wicked, ain't it?" he says “Bully! I wish I could be more so, but Mama and Papa won't let me. Mama wants me to be with her almost all the time, ‘cept when I want to be She's washin’ me most of the time, and makes me put on new clothes ‘most every day. Then when visitors come I have to speak pieces and I have to learn lots of things. I know ever so omuch. Mama. says) I'm preeosh as. You're not that’ way, are you?" I said I wasn’t “Mama makes me learn lots of things. She's took me to the Z and to the ope “That's where they have all kinds of animals?” “Yep, and the other day when I got over my cold she promised to take me to a matinay if 1 would swaller my medicine. An’ we went, and my. it was fine. My eyes got so tired I couldn't see, and I was awtul tired myself and could hardly sit through my dinner, and then I dreamt all night about all kinds of things, and the next day my cold was worse and I had a relapse, an’ Mama cried and said I was delicate because I had such a big brain. Does your Mama do all these things to you?” My Maw,” T says, “don't: bother with me much. She's got too much n sneak off any time and have fun ‘n’ she don't miss me, “Well,” said the Only Child, “I wish Mama didn’t miss me. Say, do 1 wash every day?" * I pretend to,” says 1. hen you ain't examined close “Naw.” “My! That's fine!) What does your Mama do to you? “Nothin’ much. She — kisses me mornin’ ‘n’ evenin’ 'n’ pats me on the head sometimes ‘n’ sometimes she to do. Le n wse she's As, but not so often, too busy. “Nd at night she stands over me when I say my prayers, only sometimes I have to hurry ‘cause the baby is cryin’ “Is that all she does to you?” “Every single thing.” mnt she ever take you to things n’ dress you up ‘n’ show you off ‘n' make you presents ‘n’ worry ’n’ fret comicbooks.com