Puck, 1878-01-02 · page 6 of 16
Puck — January 2, 1878 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This nine-panel narrative follows Melchisedec Flint, apparently an excise detective, returning home to Harlem one evening. He encounters a mysterious midnight assassin but fearlessly confronts the danger. The story culminates with Flint's wife discovering his body the next morning—he has been killed by a seven-shooter pistol and poisoned dagger. The moral appended reads: "None but the brave deserve a number of this paper grats [sic]." This appears to be a serialized adventure story rather than political satire. It emphasizes courage in the face of urban criminal violence, using melodramatic violence and moral instruction typical of Puck's mixed content during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1, Itis evening. 2: is homeward bound. sudden halt. Melchisedec, an Excise detective, 4 5. ‘And ever 7. “Sir, listen to reason. Iam a dangerous man. I 8. No answer! have now concealed about me a seven-shooter, a poi Melchisedec! On! soned dagger, and—a bottle of cider—” As he nears his home in Harlem, he comes n if it were somebody, what of it?” Ah, I have frightened him. On, It is too late to flee!” 6. for me!” 9 rewarded by the discover (Moral—None but the paper gratis.) «+ Heavens!—a midaightassassin! He is making He waits till morning. His wild heroism is finally copy of Puck. wave deserve a number of this