Life, 1908-11-05 · page 17 of 48
Life — November 5, 1908 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Cartoon ("The Landing of the Thanksgiving Dinner"):** A satirical woodcut showing anthropomorphic animals in colonial/pilgrim dress presenting a turkey to a mother figure. The joke appears to reference historical Thanksgiving imagery, likely mocking either the idealization of traditional holiday celebrations or contemporary debates about tradition versus modernity. **Main Article ("The Passing of Mother"):** This is social satire lamenting the decline of traditional motherhood. The author criticizes modern educated society for abandoning the "old fashioned mother" who provided unconditional care, patience, and moral guidance. The text lists where contemporary mothers are instead: California excursions, women's clubs, driving fast cars, playing bridge—activities representing 1920s modernity. The satire's target: educated society's assumption that modern efficiency and early scientific education have replaced the need for maternal care and traditional family values. The final paragraph's ironic tone (infants going to hospitals alone via "push button") emphasizes the absurdity of this belief. **Bottom Cartoon ("Famished Feline"):** A starving cat questions risking its last life, likely commenting on economic hardship or precarious living conditions of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE LANDING OF THE THANKSGIVING DINNER The Passing of Mother HERE is the old fashioned mother, who used to tuck us up in bed at night after we had said our prayers; who spanked us when we needed it, and then cried with us over the pain; whose chdeity for our faults was in- finite, and who, as we came up more and more into a consciousness of life, was an unfailing recep- tacle for all our troubles? Some of her is on an excursion to California; some’ of her is in Europe. Some is attending an afternoon session at the woman's club; some is besieging a modern intelligence office ; some is drinking in the odor of cylinder oil at forty miles an hour, and some is playing bridge. Mother, while she lasted, was a good thing, but the neces. sity for her is now past. Her patient, cheerful face, her obsolete notions, sher thrift, her folded hands when resting, and her genuine piety have all gone out. We realize now our mistake. She meant well, but she didn't know. We think of her with that kindliness, that hearty sympathy, that broad minded tolerance which we are ever ready to accord to sincerity, even though it is mis- placed. And then it must be remembered that at the time she existed, there was, in reality, a necessity for someone like her. We didn’t know so much then as we do now. We were more or less dependent on mother, as crude as she was. Now, however, that we are educated so early, and there is so much enlightened method about everything, we really don't need help from home. The newly born infant will soon be able to rise from his crib and go himself to the nearest hospital, where he will have his tonsils removed, be properly vaccinated and inoculated with the latest serums, and go back to his push button and radiator all ready for business. Famished Feline: 1’Ve ONLY ONE LIFE LEFT, I WONDER IF I'D BETTER RISK IT?