In a time of influenza

From Humoristické listy, Prague, 1890.

“Hey you, ‘borrow’ a magazine somewhere.”
“You wanna entertain yourself with politics?”
“Hah! I would just like to know if they also shut down criminals now like they do schools. Then there would be something more to do.”

“You’ve got the flu, Tony! Where are you going?”
“To the pharmacy; the master has it, too.”
“Is that so great?”
“No! He’s so weak that I can’t even feel him slapping me.”

(Child writing on school desktop: “During the flu mouths must not be opened”)
The young man’s reason for not giving the teacher any answers to all his questions.