Life, 1912-02-22 · page 26 of 44
Life — February 22, 1912 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a biographical interview with **C.T. Anderson**, a cartoonist and humorist who worked for Life magazine. Anderson humorously recounts his unconventional career path—from cow puncher to art student to newspaper cartoonist—culminating in his work for Life itself. The satire is self-deprecating: when asked how he accounts for his sense of humor, Anderson quips that Life "doesn't yet use enough of my pictures," a joke at his own employer's expense. The page also includes unrelated satirical content: a jab at the **McLean family** (wealthy Cincinnati newspaper owners) regarding the cursed Hope diamond, suggesting their money insulates them from superstition; "The New Nationalism" mockingly lists political positions filled with contradictory "buts"; and brief society humor about modern courtship and large families. The cartoons are generic domestic scenes typical of early 20th-century magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LE AUESE Life’s Family Album C. T. Anderson A SI of humor is something that we have never been able to ac- count for in any human being. It at- tacks a man when he is off his guard and sticks to him through life. No man is safe from it. Even Mr. Anderson admits that he fell a to it at an early age. We found him fortunately in a moment of relaxation, and in a reminiscent mood. “You were born——?” we inquired in our stereotyped mann “In Madison, V © I became——" “You mean that you were born at an carly age?” we interrupted intelligently. “At an early age,” he continued, ig- noring our aside, “I became a cow puncher. One bright morning, as I was engaged in milking a hitherto respectable cow, the thought occurred to me that I should like to be an artist with a sense of humor. Why at that moment I do not know. Leaving the cow precipitately, I have never returned to her. She may be still there, waiting for me to return, for aught I know. “And then” “T struck across the country, in search of a background, and did not stop until I reached Puget Sound. My idea of an artist with a sense of humor was that he must know his country first. After a self-imposed apprenticeship of sketching, I went to Philadelphia to rest, and “en- tered the Penn Museum and School of Industrial Art. After being detained there for a year, I escaped and, disguis- At an carly ing myself as a fashion artist, found a haven of refuge with the Philadelphia Times.” “How was then?” “Incubating but suppressed. It broke forth intermittently, until the editor of a Pittsburg comic paper, who was ready to do almost anything to decrease the number of his readers, sent for me. In six months his poor sheet was dead. I then became one of the contributors to Lire, which is, I am informed, still liv- ing? “How do you account for it?” we asked impertinently, Mr. Anderson smiled. “On the basis that Lire docsn’t yet use enough of my pictures,” he replied. “You must be a genuine humorist when you can say such dreadful things about yourself,” we responded severely. In Strong Hands Now O the McLean family is to hold on to the Hope diamond, be its luck what it may. Well settled! A family that is in the third generation of sub- sistence on the Cincinnati Enquirer should have nothing to fear from a gem that has a private devil working for it. The Hope diamond is now strongly held. Its curse cannot ‘penetrate the Mc- Leans. They can curse back, and have the facilities. your sense of humor The New Nationalism BELIEVE in free trade, but—— I believe in publicity of campaign expenditures, but. I believe in regulation and not de- struction of great corporations, but I believe that courts should have the power of declaring laws unconstitutional, but I believe that judicial decisions should be reviewed by the people, but I do not believe in the recall of judges, but-— I believe that boss rule should end, but—— I believe in the initiative and refer- endum, but—— I believe in arbitration, but- I believe “in full Federal but-— I belli I believe the but— Tam not a candidate, but—— powers, ve in State's rights, but— people should rule, OUISE: Clasping me in his arms he murmured. “ At last—the time, the place, the girl.” .Jutia: And was there nothing lack- ing? Louise: Yes—a witness. OWADAYS the people who embark on the seas of matrimony seem to do it in a motor-boat. Mrs, Chuck: “ow CAN YOU POSSIBLY KEMEMBER THE NAMES. OF ALL THE LITTLE DEARS? Mrs, Jack: THEY ARE ALL NUMBERED AND 1 USE THE CARD INDEX SYSTEM, comicbooks.com