Life, 1921-12-01 · page 17 of 58
Life — December 1, 1921 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous Christmas narrative poem illustrated with silhouettes, depicting romantic mishaps at a holiday gathering. The story involves Jubal Worth visiting Squire Brown's house with his nephew William. The plot involves mistletoe-triggered chaos: William kisses Jill (the squire's daughter) after a cat trips Jubal. Jubal attempts to kiss Dill but gets knocked down by young Will instead. When Jubal recovers and stands beneath the mistletoe, he encounters Sister Prue (an unmarried woman), and the Squire witnesses and blesses their union. The satire plays on Victorian courtship customs—specifically the mistletoe tradition where a man under it could kiss a woman. The humor derives from slapstick mishaps disrupting romantic intentions, and the ironic "happy ending" where an awkward older man accidentally wins approval to court an unmarried woman through comedic circumstance rather than intentional romance. The poem is credited to Arthur Guiterman, a popular American humorist of the early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(® Jubal Worth and Nephem Will A Christmas greeting carried To Squire Brown, his daughter Fill And Sister Prue (ummarried). Ir The cat, a furry Nemesis, Made Jubal's feet to stumble; So Nephem William tonk the kiss, While Ruele took a tumble. His manly form her arms embraced; Against his bosom leaning, ‘Apon his lips she coyly placed A hiss of tender meaning. 4 17 As Dill beneath the mistletoe Seemed (ost in meditation, @ld Jubal hastened thither—so Bid Will, his young relation. When Jubal rose as best he could And rubbed the spot that grieved him, Beneath the mistletoe he stood Where Sister Prue perceived him. The damsel, now, to Iubal’s view, Was uot mprepossessing— The Squire came upon the too And gave the two his blessing. Arthur Guiterman comicbooks.com