Vintage Halloween Greeting Card: Witch & Black Cat, Early 1900s

The glowing orange mass lurking in the lower right corner—presumably a jack-o'-lantern, presumably also judging everyone—sets the tone for what unfolds above it: a wrinkled, wide-eyed witch in a drooping pointed hat and dramatic red cloak, upon whom a very alert black cat has clearly achieved sentience and is reconsidering all of its life choices. The witch herself is mid-monologue, one gnarled finger raised in the universal gesture of 'let me tell you something,' her bugged-out eyes and deeply lined face suggesting she has been making this exact point since 1907 and will not be stopping anytime soon. The word 'HALLOWEEN' floats above in cheerful red letters, as if to reassure you that yes, this unhinged confrontation between old woman and cat is, in fact, a greeting.