As you can see from the following postcards, this was a humorous topic just about beat to death. As to which
version was first, I can only guess from postmarks on used cards, which is not terribly accurate. I suppose this
punch line was hysterically funny to anyone not having to go through it...
This is the earliest postmark of the bunch - 1926, by A. Biren, Brooklyn. The front is printed "First Night at" and
So.Cairo, N.Y. has been stamped next to it. It's card # 14807, and has a lot in common with the rest - the
biffy says "this is it", and it's an appropriately spooky night. The figure or figures walking to the outhouse are
difficult to make out - I can't tell if it's one or two people.
This is the next earliest postmark of this style - 1939. It is card 39280 by Metrocraft.
This card is the same picture as the previous, but minus the white border. The card number in the lower left
has been blotted out (or the above's was added?), and the branches above the outhouse have had pine
needles added to them. The windows of the house and the people have been slightly changed too. This
card Is by Metrocraft too, published by Asheville Post Card Co. It is unused.
This card is postmarked 1942. This time it's card number 63868 by General Comics. The people on the
card are now missing a lot of detail, and the house and outhouse have been redrawn, a touch more simply.
The caption is now large and bold.
This card is a slightly cropped version of the above, minus the title. It's postmarked 1941 (I think - it's hard to
read), and now it's card 66327 from Tichnor.
Now we have a black and white shiny photo of card number 3. It's postmarked 1954, has a serial number of
C76 on the front, and no publisher on the back.
Here we have a completely re-drawn version of the same punch line. The "action" is now going to the left
instead of the right, and it's an older brother replacing the dad. The cartoon is now more "cartoon-y", and
now we have number 98 by Colourpicture of Boston. It's un-used so I don't have a date.
This card is also by Colourpicture, and is still card number 98. The sky has been inked out and dark shadows
and shading added. It's also unused.
Well, here is the last in our "three hour tour". It has been either re-drawn, or drawn on top of. This card is
postmarked 1981, and is by Plastichrome by Colourpictures, card number P43718.
