Hazards of the She-Driver

     As you may recall from our last thrilling episode, we were discussing the Women Driver Joke.  I was noting that there are mighty few traces of that sort of traditional male humor among my inventory of comic postcards.  In fact, in THAT column, I showed how many early cards I have which show perfectlyContinue reading “Hazards of the She-Driver”

The Woman at the Wheel

     After the wave of popular applause for the column posted hereintofore on the history of the Mother-in-law Joke (did I say “wave”? I meant “trickle”.  Okay, maybe a comment from one drip.) I thought we might consider the postcard history of a younger old joke.  We are going to consider Women Drivers.      ThisContinue reading “The Woman at the Wheel”

If You Don’t Ask….

     Along about 1904, that is, just before the first Golden Age of postcards, an author published a novel featuring a heroine who was looking for a man.  The book gained some notoriety (and sales) because she was not looking for a good husband, a good provider, or a good father for her children.  TheContinue reading “If You Don’t Ask….”

Dark History, True Facts, and Mother Goose

     I am seeing an uptick in the number of articles the Interwebs has to offer on the True Story Behind various works of literature, and it is obviously time to take advantage of the trend.  I shall therefore indulge in a pastime which has obsessed people since the early nineteenth century, and enlighten youContinue reading “Dark History, True Facts, and Mother Goose”

Summers Behind Us

     Labor Day no longer means an end to the vacation season, of course.  Like wearing white or buying watermelon, vacations are available at any time of year.  In fact, we are moving right into the season when the snowbirds will start their annual migration away from snowy parts of the world to those withContinue reading “Summers Behind Us”

Dogs Resting

     One of the things which has aroused distaste among some observers and amused jealousy among others is the things dogs can get away with doing right out there in public.  Yes, other domesticated animals do the same things, but few people walk through the streets with their cows or ferrets or reindeer.      TheContinue reading “Dogs Resting”

Dogs and Their Pets

     As mentioned in our last thrilling episode, I have been checking through the new arrivals to the inventory, looking over the adventures of dogs.  Here it was that I discovered the existence of the Bystander Beast, animals whose conduct in a postcard is minor.  But there are plenty of postcards where the dog isContinue reading “Dogs and Their Pets”

Bystander Beasts

      I was checking through the new inventory, searching for bloggable data and found, as usual, that there are plenty of outhouse cards, fishing cards, and dog cards.  What this says about the priorities of our ancestors I am hesitant to declare.  In any case, the dogs are busy with all the usual dog activities:Continue reading “Bystander Beasts”