Puck, 1879-11-26 · page 4 of 18
Puck — November 26, 1879 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes Thanksgiving through multiple cartoons with political undertones: **"Modest to the Last"** depicts a skeletal turkey, mocking pretense of humility. **"Reciprocity"** shows a man carving a turkey at a buffet, captioned "Put yourself in his place"—likely satirizing political rhetoric about empathy or fair treatment. **"Leaving the Old Homestead"** portrays turkeys fleeing with possessions, referencing migration or social upheaval, possibly related to labor movements or rural-to-urban shifts. **The center poem** extensively mocks turkeys sacrificed for Thanksgiving while commenting on contemporary politics—mentioning Republicans, Democrats, and figures like Hayes and Kelly, suggesting the holiday's commercialization amid political division. **"Natural, But Unexpected"** and **"After Thanksgiving"** complete the darkly humorous cycle about turkey mortality and human consumption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
0 : PUCK | THANKSGIVING VARIATIONS. MODEST TO THE LAST. RECIPROCITY, Wee heads of all your victims crowned, O Goddess of Thanksgiving! A Turkey’s question I'd propound: Is Life indeed Worth Living. 7 No Malloch I, in general; Mrs. Goose to Mr. Turkey: ‘ That's right, 'Tis but for this occasion “ PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE.” my dear Turkey, cover my breast with the cel- | That I’d point out the tragical ery, as I must face a whole family of human Reverse of jubilation. gobblers.” We laugh, we feast, we thank our stars; —— And we have ample reason. But, for the Turkey, only Mars NATURAL, BUT UNEXPEC' LEAVING ‘THE OLD HOMESTEAD. Shines blood-red at this season. = oe Republicans may utter pat . | ‘Thanks for their foeman’s humbling: And Democrats be grateful that ‘They're left the right of grumbling. Hayes may his future prospect hke— A Sunless, sweet oblivion— Kelly may make, next year, a strike More lucrative to divvy on. Yes, the whole world may grateful be For joys or had or looked for, ‘Though less, indeed, could men but see The various fates they’re booked for. Yet, lonely on a joyous earth | ‘The turkey seeks instruction Why he should praise a bootless birth That preludes but destruction ? “What did they make me for?” he cries— . That is, you comprehend me, No turkey can talk, if he tries— FLeeinc ror THEIR Lives rRom Sociat. Op- “If it were but to end me?” : PRESSION. “ Are mortals jealous, so to speak, Of my melodious gobbles? Or of the carmine ‘neath my beak CHILDISH CURIOSITY. In pendent grace that wobbles? “ Perchance, in pre-historic times, Baffling investigators, We were, as in the nursery rhymes, Tobacco masticators. “ Perchance, as mighty dodvs, then, Our ancient race was able To feast at will on puny men, Who now have turned the—table. And thus thé ‘Turkey cries, and I Cry too, and help him through it. I have a sympathetic cry— Perhaps that’s why I do it. . . “T would like to take another look at the old man before you gobble him up.” AFTER ‘THANKSGIVING, . But here I think I might as well * Silence a Muse too jerky: IwonDéR WHICH IS MA AND WHICH Pa?” For, hark! the welcome dinner-bell Axz AnD Crowns, Is calling me to Turkey. ~ comicbooks.com