Origins of the Sunday Comics by Peter Maresca for June 11, 2021

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    Solstice*1947  over 3 years ago

    My mother, born in 1911, would sometimes say “before you can say Jack Robinson” to mean “very quickly.” I hadn’t thought of that phrase in decades, and just tried looking up the origin. There were many different purported explanations, but none stand out as most plausible. Does anyone have better information?

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  2. Eugene the jeep
    Joseph Nebus Premium Member over 3 years ago

    And the captions. Once again there’s two unrelated stories here, one that’s the top two rows and one that’s the bottom row.

    Top row, left. Willie Winkie came to the field where the hired man was stacking up straw. ``What a mussy-looking straw heap,’’ thought Willie. The little bushes by the stone wall peered curiously over to see what was going on.

    Top row, right. Soon the straw-heap began to grow and to look just a little bit less disorderly. ``You just watch him; he’ll come out all right yet!’’ the bushes seemed to say, swaying to and fro in the breeze.

    Middle row. Caption straddles both images. ``Well, he still looks very untidy and ought to have his hair dressed,’’ said Willie Winkie, and began to help. The straw-mound soon grew to be quite a good-looking fellow, and when at last the hired man went way there it stood with the finest banged wig, right down to its good-natured eyes, most pleasant to look at.

    Bottom row, first panel. A sleepy-looking, green old cock-nosed gentleman pump, with a long pig-tail a-dangling down his back.

    Bottom row, second panel. There comes Peggy and gives this pig-tail a mighty big tweak. ``Squeak!!’’ says our old gentleman.

    Bottom row, third panel. Then he blows and sputters and fills up the pail with water before you or Willie Winkie could say ``Jack Robinson.’’

    Bottom row, last panel. Just look at him, how pleased he seems with himself! As he goes back to sleep he grumbles ``What a very clever old pump am I!’’

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