Life, 1916-01-06 · page 38 of 48
Life — January 6, 1916 — page 38: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon illustrates a cautionary tale about blind obedience. A mother commands her young son John to close a trap door to the roof during a storm without listening to his protests. John obeys without question, trapping his Aunt Mary on the roof, where she apparently remains for hours unnoticed. The satire critiques rigid parental discipline that demands "instant and unquestioning obedience" without allowing children to explain circumstances or use judgment. The joke's dark humor shows the absurd consequences: the aunt's safety is endangered because the mother refused to hear John's attempted explanation (presumably that the aunt was on the roof). For modern readers, this reflects early 20th-century debates about child-rearing philosophy—challenging the "children should be seen and not heard" doctrine—suggesting that authoritarian parenting without reasoning produces harmful outcomes. The attribution to the *New York Times* suggests this was presented as social commentary on contemporary parenting practices.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
38 CONT MPORAWIES Aa vn — Discipline A certain woman demands instant and unquestioning obedience from her chil- dren. One afternoon a storm came up and she sent her little son John to close the trap leading to the flat roof of the house. “But, mother,” began John. * John, I told you to shut the trap!” “Yes, but mother— " “ John, shut that trap!” “All right, mother, if you say so— but—" “ John!" Whereupon John slowly climbed the stairs and shut the trap. Two hours later the family gathered for dinner, but Aunt Mary, who was staying with the mother, —" did not appear. The mother did not have to ask many questions. John answered the first one. “Mother, she is on the roof.” —New York Times. A Sherbet ts mate tasty and deltghttat by using Abtutt's Bitters. Sample of bitters by mall, 25 cts. In stamps, ,C..W Abbott & Co., Baltimore, Md, “So your son's in college, ch? Burn- ing the midnight oil, I spose?” “ Well—er—yes; but I've an idea—er —that it’s gasoline. —St. Patrick's Monthly Calendar, “T see you are presenting ‘Hamlet’ to the public this week.” “ Presenting the right word,” as- sented the manager. “ Nothing but dead- heads in the house.’ —Louisville Courier-Journal, Holstein Cows’ Milk and the Public Health In conserving the public health, first attention should be paid to the wellare of the ‘babies of to-day—the fathers and mothers of to-morrow. Infants should, at the threshold of life, be given food which will insure ‘strong. robust bodies, Holstein cows’ milk comes nearer in fine ness to the emulsion in mothers’ milk than that of any other breed of cows. Its fat content also contains a less amount of objectionable volatile glycerides, 80 pronounced in the milk of other breeds. jinent specialists agree ye purebred Holste’ cows’ milk with its smal ly digested fat globul is im many “cases the only quality which the infa Stomach will retain, Holstein cows, milk is nourishing | any infants thrive upon. it who cannot digest the arge fat globules in milk given by other breeds. your milkman for Holstein cows’ milk. If he fails to provide you send us his name and we will try to secure a supply for you. Send for our new. free iMustrated booklet, “The Story of Holstein Milk.” HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA F. L. HOUG! HHTON, Secretary 25-B American Buildir, BRATTLEBORO, VT. Keeping It Dark All the passengers in the railway car- riage, with one exception, wore some form of war badge. A stranger only was undccorated. A fussy badge-wearer re- marked : “1 see, sir, that you are the only one not engaged in some form of war work.” “TI prefer to be quite unostentatious about what I do.” “What is your war work?" continued the inquisitive one, “Sir, am a German spy; but I do not care to make my occupation too pub- lic."—Manchester Guardian, BACARDI Makes The Perfect Cocktail, Mekey or Highball, Try itt The Scheme Never Works At one of those large affairs in a studio a guest went up to his host and asked for an introduction to the woman in pink. “Why, certainly, I'd introduce you to her in a moment, but I can’t remember her name.” “Her name is Miss Smythe.” “Come along then, Er—by the way, what's your name?” —Cincinnati Enquirer. Broap: By the way, old man, do you remember borrowing ten dollars from me six months ago? Sort: Yes. Broad: But you said you only wanted it for a short time. Suoxt: And I told the truth. I didn’t keep it twenty minutes. York Sun, Ach covered witl throughout. 2M inches, weight 1 UP TO YOU. In white Morocco for With initials stamped plain or in gold leaf Se ad not carry it, send order direct to us. =n UP-TO-YOU Case Co., Brattleboro, Vermont ROUND: THE WORLD TOURS The Best Regular Services to EGYPT, INDIA, CHINA, PHILIP. PINES, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND. Round World Trips and Winter Tours in INDIA. PEN- INSULAR & ORIENTAL S. N. CO. Fall information from CUNARD LINE. 24 State St..N-Y. comicbooks.com