The Soap Box

There seems to have been a lot of soapbox speechifying in the past week on a variety of topics so when I came upon this postcard, sent to my grandmother's sister, Mayme, in June of 1909, I had to laugh. (Mayme was not a well young lady so the family sent her postcards from their travels--exotic places like Glenham, South Dakota and Nelson, Wisconsin.)

I love the slightly quizzical look--dripping with false piety--that we see on the gentleman's face. His coat, top hat, and what appears to be a bible provide a clever juxtaposition to the soap box he sits on and the sentiment expressed on the card. And since clearly that wasn't humor enough...the writer scribbled in pencil on the card (you can see this if you click on the image): "Do you think that's so?" runs up the side and "Angelic He! Ha!" is at the top.

Even better is the verso, though. It's all in ink, informing the family of when the writer will be home and asking if they all still "chew the rag as much as ever, ha ha" but then, in altogether different penciled handwriting is the following..."Don't think I ment {sic} slur by sending, but I thot {sic} it was pretty good." It seems as if the sender realizes that the intended recipients may not see the same humor as he does within the vignette. A century later, though, we're all in on the joke.

This is me stepping off my soapbox, then, to bid farewell to February's chilly winds and bid welcome to the spring breezes of March.