Life, 1906-06-07 · page 23 of 42
Life — June 7, 1906 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three distinct pieces of satire: **"The Ice Question"** (top comics): Two panels contrasting urban conditions—one showing a crowded New York street, another showing what appears to be rural/frontier conditions. The caption suggests commentary on changing American society and sentiment, with a quote from "Mrs. Wilson Woodrow" lamenting that New York has eliminated rural roughness. **"Important Precedent"** (middle): A humorous legal note about a Kentucky court ruling that wives cannot sell their husbands' mules without consent, though other livestock is permitted. The satire extends this to suggest a New York wife could similarly reclaim a swapped automobile from her husband—poking fun at regional legal disparities and marital property rights of the era. **"The Ice Question" (bottom text)**: A narrative anecdote about the author playing poker with William Travers Jerome, the District Attorney, who initially refuses to gamble but eventually joins. The humor lies in Jerome's apparent hypocrisy—as a law enforcer refusing to play while later relenting. **"Snapshots in Hades"** (bottom image): A cartoon depicting a bore obsessed with golf, condemned to eternal torment for his tedious conversation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
701 than he used to on the road. Back in ’49 they put a rope around his ne then they let him off for my sak they wouhin’t do that now. They say that New York has taken all the sentiment out of them.” Mrs. Wilson Woodrow. Beury is the last great gift that Nature bestows upon a woman — and the first that she takes away. Important Precedent COURT of law in Kentucky has de- cided that a wife may not swap herhusband’s mule without his con- sent. She swapped it fora horse while he was away, and the horse died three days later. Then he refused to ratify the trade. Chickens, milk, eggs, butter, and even a cow, may be sold bya Kentucky wife and stay sold, but not a mule, unless esau Se woe she makes a good trade. We quote the finding because of its value in suggesting “No, Mr. Jerome, you'll play poker with me for this crowd.” that if a New York wife swaps or sells her husband's “No,” he says, ‘I’ve no time to play poker. They are my automobile, he can get it back. prisoners.” “Oh, Mr. Jerome,” I cried, “be a dead game sport—for once. You ain’t only Mr. William Travers Jerome, the District Attorney; you’re a gambler, just like me. Come on, Mr. Jerome.” For a moment he wavered, casting a black look at the virtuous Mr. Camegie, who was trying to make a speech, and at Mr, Mark- ham, who had struck a man-with-the-hoe attitude, and then he gave in, and we sat down at the table while the rest stood about like Eden Musee figures. It was a show-down. On the first deal Thad a pair of queens; on the next, he had two jacks and an ace. Just as I dealt the cards for the third time, he said slow and solemn, “Girl, I have a feeling that I win.” I leaned breathlessly across the table. “Mr. Jerome,” I gasped, “will—will you pick up your cigarette? It’s buming a hole in my best Kurdistan rug.” While he stooped down, I hastily concealed my cards in the clusters of mymarcel waves, then drew out three from my shoe and showed my hand. With a muttered imprecation he Waced four cigarettes at once between, his lips and left the house Oh, yes, my academy? No, I don’t have anything to do with it now. Mr. Hughes is leading it, and asking the boys everything they know. It’s awfully embarrassing for them. I don’t see much of them any more. They feel that Dick hasn’t played any fairer que usr none? THE ICE QUESTION YES, 17'S PRETTY BAD, BUT— SNAPSHOTS IN HADES YATE OF THE BORE WHO CAN'T THINK OR TALK ANYTHING BUT GOLF comicbooks.com_