Life, 1906-09-20 · page 7 of 28
Life — September 20, 1906 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon depicts a well-dressed man and woman by a riverbank, with a small child in the background wearing a top hat. The title "The Long Engagement" suggests satirizing prolonged courtships. Below are three brief humorous pieces: **"Just the Thing"** criticizes the scarcity of taxi drivers (chauffeurs), blaming judges who should be compelled to drive instead of sitting on the bench—a jest about judicial surplus versus transportation shortage. **"High Finance"** depicts a mother praising her son's honesty for not taking money from her purse, though his father says it's wrong to take anything when you might get caught—mocking hypocritical parental morality. **"Recuperative"** jokes about Senator Blank talking excessively, suggesting he needs intellectual rest between speeches.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copgrigh YS, vy Lure Pearse Commas THE LONG ENGAGEMENT Jus the Thing OWADAYS everybody is complain- ing about the scarcity of chauffeurs. Many people, otherwise in affluent circumstances, are compelled to drive their own machines. In this emer- gency, it frequently happens that the waiter whom last week we tipped in our restaurant or the barber who trimmed our hair is now putting in the clutch ahead of us and running over the common people. Another cause for the scarcity of chauffeurs is the inhu- manity of judges. Judges who have been leading honest and upright lives heretofore are now placing in jail many of our best chauffeurs, thus compelling us to shift for ourselves or creep along on the low gear. We have a good many more judges than we need, but not enough chauffeurs. Therefore, be it resolved that our judges be compelled to take up the trade of chauffeuring. Thus we shall mect both the emergencies. Our jails will get a much-needed rest and we will be spared the mortification of soiled hands and the undertakers’ trust will prosper. High Finance HE MOTHER: Willie, you’re a good little boy. I left my purse on the bureau and you didn’t take a cent from it. “No, mother. Papa says it’s wrong to take anything when you're sure to get caught.” M’s Y of us build automobiles in the air. Recuperative WESTERN Senator said to Senator Hoar: “Senator, isn’t it amazing that Senator Blank can talk so often and so persistently upon every subject that comes before the Senate? I should think he would wear himself out.” “So he would,” responded Hoar, “but you must remember that when Senator Blank talks he takes a complete intelectual rest.”” comicbooks.com