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How to see the world, even possums, is not always that obvious.

Here's a third picture, this one also worthy of testing.

Seems like an innocent enough mug, huh? Maybe a bit rough around the edges for such a little kid.

It's taken from a popular magazine at the turn of the century (1897) entitled Leslie's Weekly.

Here's the caption:

GEORGE WASHINGTON POSSUM, OF POSSUMVILLE

There is really a double whammy in that caption. The reference to opossums and the reference to a George Washington. George Washington was, of course, the Father of our country. But another George Washington, George Washington Carver was a famous (and black) botanist and inventor.At the time of this cartoon he was director of Agricultural research at Tuskegee Institute, a black college in Alabama founded by Booker T. Washington.

So in five short and innocent sounding words we've managed to do a lot of hurt, haven't we?

The damage continues with a further damming analogy: