Life, 1913-12-04 · page 50 of 112
Life — December 4, 1913 — page 50: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains two separate humorous pieces from *Life* magazine: **"The Proposals of Robinson"** (top): A sentimental poem about a man drawing a portrait of a woman named Eileen beneath mistletoe, describing her beauty in romantic detail. The twist ending reveals he wasn't kissing her—he was merely sketching her for a Christmas magazine illustration. The joke plays on the reader's expectation of romance versus the mundane reality of commercial art. **"The Debutante"** (bottom): A cartoon showing a rabbit dragging a tree, explaining to another animal that it covers their tracks so hunters won't find them. The humor derives from the rabbit's practical, survival-focused reasoning contrasted with the absurdity of using a Christmas tree for camouflage—likely a seasonal joke playing on the holiday setting and animal cunning. Both pieces use gentle, domestic humor typical of early 20th-century satirical magazines targeting middle-class readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE D&BUTANTE Beneath the Mistletoe TH the mistletoe I drew Eileen, tranced to watch her lashes droop- ing low O'er laughing eyes, that strove to look se- rene, Beneath the mistletoe. No charm I lost: the shoulder’s ivory glow, The little scarlet shoe and robe of green; Her dainty cheek, her lips’ carnation bow! A And then—a tender kiss, to crown the scene? Nay; she was posing in my studi x I drew her—for a Christmas maga: “SAY, BUNNIE, WHAT ARE YOU DRAGGING THAT TREE AROUND FoR?” Beneath the mistletoe. “THAT'S TO COVER UP TRACKS, STUPID, SO THE HUNTERS WON'T KNOW e 2 HAVE BEEN HERE.” Corinne Rockwell Swain. comicbooks.com