Life, 1906-11-08 · page 7 of 30
Life — November 8, 1906 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks the consequences of divorce through the cautionary tale of Bill Baker. The narrative traces Baker's downfall: he mistreats a horse, which gets seized by animal welfare authorities (the S.P.C.A.); he then marries a woman who endures similar harsh treatment; she eventually seeks divorce and remarriage to escape him. The cartoons illustrate this social commentary. One shows Rev. Dr. Boner (likely a generic clergyman figure) intervening in animal cruelty. Another depicts a woman at a marriage sacrament document, contemplating escape from an abusive spouse. The satire criticizes men who abuse dependents—whether animals or wives—suggesting divorce serves as necessary liberation from domestic tyranny. The piece reflects early 20th-century attitudes toward marriage, divorce, and animal welfare reform.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
In re Remarriage ILL BAKER bought a thoroughbred And hitched her to a cart; He overworked, and underfed, And broke the poor beast’s heart. To the S. P.C. A., *, SACRAMENT And made them send around a man To take the horse away, Then Rev. Dr. Boner ran fen Bill Baker next was roundly fined; They sold his trembling mare To Mr. Brown, the good, the kind, Who promised gentle care. Now this Bill Baker had a wife Who saw, with much remorse, That she’d endured a harder life Than had Bill Baker’s horse. NE SOUGHT FLSEWHERE HIS PLEASURE nd years— He sought elsewhere ure; He made her weep, then cursed her tears, And beat her for good measure. So now she called on Dr. Boner And told him of her plan: “You found our mare another owner, THEN RPV. DR. RONER RAN, Get me another man.” comicbooks.com