Life, 1921-03-24 · page 10 of 34
Life — March 24, 1921 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a serialized illustrated story adaptation, not political satire. It depicts the classic English fairy tale about two orphaned children abandoned in a forest by a wicked guardian (the Marquis de Mauvais Œuf, according to the caption). The narrative follows the children's peril: panel 1 shows their abandonment; panel 3 depicts forest giants; panel 4 shows them in danger indoors; panel 5 uses the metaphor of a hardened human heart melting through childhood innocence; panel 6 shows the villain plotting murder. The satirical element appears minimal—the main "joke" is the villain's complaint that "Cross-eyed Mike has double-crossed me!" This is a straightforward melodramatic tale rendered as dark humor rather than political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE BABES IN THE WooD As screened under the direction of OLIVER HERFORD oreo 2 1 Embittered by a Spavin, inherited from a licentious horse-racing ancestor, the’ Marquis de Mauvais Oeuf swears to protect his dying brother’s orphan babes. Athwart the giant Redwoods of the forest of Fontaine- bleau rings the elfish laughter of the doomed tots. : s The HUMAN HEART is like an all-day lollipop, hard as an unfeeling stone until melted by the warm lips of innocent childhood. The stern crucible of Nature plays no tayorites. In the white nest of Innocence is hatched the foul plot of orphanticide. 4 In the hushed halls of Twilight the pure gaze of child- ish innocence hears not the fearful footfall of the Dread Reaper. In vain the wicked Marquis searches the Murder. supplement for a notice of his crime— Gad blank it!” he mutters, “ Cross-eyed Mike has double-crossed me! comicbooks.com