April 21, 1953: Put 'em up, Snoopy

A very funny strip. The key to the humor, I think, is how Linux Linus maintains the same expression through it, just as if he knows how Snoopy will react.

Contrast this with Snoopy's discomfort around cats during Faron's short-lived stint on the strip, and his total fear of the dreaded Cat Next Door, he of the doghouse-rending claws.

EDIT: Made the correction above. Damn muscle memory.

May 7, 1952: Schroeder is speechless

Schroeder does very little talking in these early strips. Here Schulz puts the setup that would make more sense coming out of Schroeder's mouth in CB's, and doesn't even give him a reaction comment at the end. Although he is slowly approaching the other characters in size, it seems like he is still being purposely represented as pre-verbal, even though Lucy, who is apparently even younger, talks (and refers to herself in third person) frequently.