Life, 1908-04-16 · page 5 of 24
Life — April 16, 1908 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents a satirical cartoon titled "Asking Papa, 1908" with the caption: "Why, Mercy! Bettina is stammering more than she did over asking me!" The scene depicts a domestic interior where a young woman (Bettina) appears to be stammering while making a request to her father, who sits reading. Other family members observe from the background. The satire plays on the Victorian-era social convention where young women required paternal permission for significant decisions—likely regarding courtship or marriage. The joke's humor derives from the assumption that asking permission to marry would be more anxiety-inducing than her natural speech impediment. The accompanying Japanese poetry translations and literary discussion appear unrelated to the cartoon, suggesting this is a multi-topic magazine page.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ASKING PAPA, 1908 “WHY, MERCY! BETTINA I$ STAMMERING MORE THAN SHE DID OVER ASKING wef" Lines DMIRABLE in other respects as we knew the Japanese Ambassa dor to be, few of us have been aware of his proficiency as a poet. But it seems that the impression made upon his Oriental imagination by his first interview with our Chief Magis- trate was such as could be adequately ex pressed only inverse. Theaccompanying stanzas will appeal to all patriotic Amer- icans who happen to be also acquainted with the musical language of Nippon For the benefit of those who do not enjoy the latter privilege we append a rude at tempt at translation: Amanagawa I-ho-e-kakariti Mikado kawa ni oi-sugu-bek makui Fukinishi ni dedachi Funanori Kumo-tachi-wataru! Glittering like the stars of the River of Heaven, I see before me the Teeth of the Yankee Mikado, I sce also his little Toothbrush. aid that he brushes his put the less before the ather, O Hikoboshi, eths his Brush! comicbooks.com