The cartoon reprinted above first appeared in 1925 in the New York Tribune, though the scene it describes is one that anyone who’s ever visited a public restroom can probably relate. 
 
On a hot day, a man tries to cool off, only to find that the paper towel dispenser is either empty, or has only one sheet left on top that isn’t enough to do the job. The hapless victim then must make do with a (reusable) handkerchief. 
 
This lighthearted stab at paper towels conveyed a serious message for linen suppliers in the 1920s ...