An early 20th century “humor” magazine, Capt. Billy’s Whiz Bang, was the source for many jokes, like this one, used by comedians of the day. In fact, one comedian contacted the magazine for more, because his Whiz Bang inventory has been destroyed in a fire. The following is a good example of many that used the salesman theme.
Some of these corn-fed damsels around the farm are sure coy. Not long ago one of them was hiking along a cross road, when she caught up with a peddler who was carrying a large iron kettle on his back; in one hand he had the legs of a live chicken, in the other a cane, and he was leading a goat. They sauntered along together until they came to a lone clump of woods, when the simple maid drew back.
“I’m afraid to go on,” she said, “You might overpower me and kiss me.”
“How can I possibly do that?” the peddler retorted. “I have this iron kettle, a live chicken, a goat, and a cane. I might as well be tied hand and foot.”
“Well,” responded the coy young thing, “if you stick your cane in the ground and tie your goat to it and turn the kettle upside down and put the chicken under it, then you might wickedly kiss me in spite of my resistance.” (Capt. Billy’s Whiz Bang, June, 1924) Note: This publication was created by Capt. Billy Fawcett (of Fawcett Publishers fame). The name? Capt. Billy served in WWI. And when he returned home he decided to publish the magazine, giving it the “whiz bang” name as that was he recalled hearing regularly in the field of battle — the “whiz” of shells before “banging” into the ground.
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