Life, 1915-09-23 · page 20 of 48
Life — September 23, 1915 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top Image/Caption:** Shows William in a broken-down car, apologizing that he can't march in a parade because "the clutch has busted." This is straightforward physical comedy—a humorous excuse for not keeping a promise. **"Jimmy" Story:** This is satirical social commentary dressed as a charming animal tale. Jimmy is a young squirrel who breaks tradition by befriending humans and monopolizing the nut supply, becoming wealthy while older squirrels remain cautious. The satire targets **American capitalism and class anxiety of the 1920s-30s era**: Jimmy represents the ambitious businessman who ignores convention, takes risks, and accumulates wealth without sharing it. The text sarcastically questions whether he should distribute his wealth to "the poor" and jokes about other squirrels forming unions ("treetop resolutions") against such inequality. The story presents this ruthless accumulation as admirable ("courage and skill") while simultaneously mocking it—the irony being that a *squirrel* has become a robber baron. **Side Cartoon:** "Good Exercise for Short Men" shows a figure reaching upward. This is simple physical humor about height.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“CAN YOU FIX 1T, WILLIAM?” William (who promised to march in the parade): wet, 1's AFRAID I CA! THE STEERING MY DEAR. EARS FALL OUT. Jimmy AST summer the community of squirrels that live on the place of the writer was increased by a crop of new ones that came to be known as the rising generation. For years various alluring induce- ments had been held out to the old squirrels to get them to come near the house, but those old squirrels were wary, They were unanimous for run- ning no risks; nuts had to be thrown out to them from a distance; even then they would shoot down their two- family tree and back again like streaks of brown lightning. Maybe an in- scrutable Bengal cat, not always so sleepy as it seemed, and an extremely active Scottish terrier had something to do with it. Personally, we have always suspected the inscrutable cat. For several weeks after the rising generation had been duly noted and an approximate census of them had been taken, the usual invitations were offered by the children to “come and join our party.” But evidently the old Roman discipline still prevails in the squirrel family, and parents have THE CLUTCH HAS BUSTED AND HAS LET ALL something to say, and the boys and girls can’t cavort around and sit up nights and spend money and take mid- night joy rides. For, in spite of many attractive offers, there were no re- sults. But one day recently an astonishing thing happened. From out of the two- family tree came one young squirrel across the lawn with many hesitations and vibrations onto the lower step of the piazza. It is true that he scam- pered back without the nut. It is true that from inside the screen door the dog barked and broke the spell for that day. But something evi- dently had happened. For the next day Jimmy, as he came to be known, made another foray, this ‘time cap- turing the nut. In a few more days he had advanced his outposts to the screen door, guarding his rear and his base of supplies with a tail which has up to the present writing never failed him. Now he is altogether shameless. He will grab a nut out of your hand and laugh in your face— and you're glad to have him. Jimmy, among his squirrels, is now an incipient millionaire. He has cor- nered the nut market. He has mines of nuts for acres around. Jimmy is a squirrel of destiny. He defied tra- dition. He took a chance on the cat and dog. Now he has learned that there is nothing to fear from them so long as human beings are on guard. He is years ahead of his time. His courage and skill have borne rich fruit. He is the most eligible bachelor of his day. He put his stake on Providence and won. The Coal Trust has nothing on him. His furnace won't go out next winter. Is Jimmy entitled to all he has? Should he ide his nuts among the poor? Jimmy evidently thinks not, and, judging by his extensive secret safety-box deposits, practices what he thinks. We don’t know what the other squirrels think.. Maybe they are even now passing treetop resolutions in restraint of human beings, or Provi- dence, or daring squirrel magnates. GOOD EXERCISE FOR SHORT MEN comicbooks.com