Obscurity of the Day: What is the Reason

I really like the work of Foster M. Follett, so much so that I devoted a week to him on the blog back in October 2012. Luckily, though, that didn't empty the coffers of Follett gems. Here's his debut series in the New York World's Funny Side section, a delightful one titled What is the Reason.

Just in case you thought Jimmy Hatlo was covering new ground in They'll Do It Every Time, this is a very early precursor to the theme -- poor innocent nebbishes beset by the trials and tribulations of a harsh, unfeeling, and arbitrary world. Pity them!

There is a typo in my book American Newspaper Comics, saying that this strip ran from March 30 to June 1 1901. Evrything's right there except the year, which should be 1902. Holtz's flying fingers rewriting history ...

Thanks to Cole Johnson for the samples!