Life, 1923-05-31 · page 14 of 37
Life — May 31, 1923 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a children's comic strip featuring two young characters, Skippy and Sooky, debating a military medal. Skippy wants the medal for its appearance ("very conspicuous"), while Sooky insists on the kiss that traditionally accompanies it. The humor stems from their disagreement about what makes the medal valuable. The references—Grant, Lee, the Balkan cross, Russian Sable Legion—suggest this appears during or shortly after World War I, when such military decorations were topical. The satire mocks how children misunderstand adult military traditions, prioritizing superficial aspects (the medal's visibility or a kiss) over genuine military honor. The final panel shows tar being dumped, likely punishing Sooky for his stubbornness—typical slapstick comedy of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Skippy: I'm hookin’ this medal on ya for very conspicious bravery. “Hot dog, General!” Skippy: Besides, who ever heard o? Grant n’ Lee runnin’ around playin’ post office with the army? “I want the kiss what goes wid me medal.” Sooky: | ‘I—want—the—kiss— what—goes—wid—me—medal! “Listen, lay off’n me before I butter the sidewalk with ya!” Sooky: Where's the kiss what goes wid it? “Gwan! There ain’t goin’ to be a kiss.” Skippy: Now, listen! forget about the kiss n’ Tl pin the Balkan cross on ya—yes, n’ I'll throw in the Russian Sable Legion, too. “I want the kiss what goes wid me medal!” Skippy — No. 11 Sooky: The medal’s no good widout a kiss. Didn't I saw Gen. Foch wid me own eyes kiss the army in the pictures? “I don’t care—it don’t look Skippy: | Why don’t you go home and take a hot bath n’ maybe I'll kiss ya. “Tain’t the first o’ the month.” Skippy: Well! I'll say that’s gettin’ out of it very nice. comicbooks.com