Judge, 1883-04-07 · page 12 of 16
Judge — April 7, 1883 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertisements for pianos and related products**, with one poem featured prominently. The poem "High-Water Mark" uses **dialect verse** to tell a story set before the Civil War. It describes Jim, apparently an enslaved person, fishing at a river crossing. A stranger (likely a Confederate soldier or Union sympathizer, possibly referencing the historical figure Mosby, a Confederate guerrilla) crosses the water on horseback. The narrative emphasizes Jim's composure and skill—he crosses the river "scarcely wet his feet" while the white man struggles. The satire appears to mock **white incompetence and fear** versus Black competence and calm under pressure. The title "High-Water Mark" may suggest this represents a peak moment of dignity or capability. However, the use of racial epithets and dialect reflects the casual racism endemic to 19th-century American periodicals, even satirical ones. The poem is surrounded by piano manufacturer advertisements (Weber, Haines, Behning) and other period product endorsements, indicating this was primarily a commercial publication.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OUR NEW TIME - KEEPER, A Little Wonder. : ‘we now hat 08 1 ‘outh MANUFACTURER OF Grand, Square and Upright PIANO FORTES. CATALOGUE MAILED FREE ON APPLICATION, WAREROOMS, Sth Avenue and West 16th Street, NEW YORK CITY 50 Aer Poa J Got art SED AND INDORSED “HAINES” HE JUDGE. High-Water Mark. It war jes befo the wah, And the wust I ever saw Of all the little niggahs that Thad Stole away to go atishin, An Mosby, he war jes oncommon bad. out on the erick, 1a cunnin yick who rode up on tother side. Muddy water, but not Flowed wkinder rapid like and wide Jim, standin rod in hand Kep a-watchin on the man, Who hollered for ter know ef he could cross, An Jim he signed to i With his han up to his chin So the man he stripped nd ‘gan to lead bis hos. The stzan) On the Spectin evry Deeper w But bh =If you'll believe it—he ba alin up to the ebin nit for to m er in the tide seal from side to side, scacely wet his feet er wal He cut an ugly figge sassy little ni Did he smile + Cassin y Yell, Jim,—you could yeah his | nT. ROIRE, .. near Gth Avenue. Adelina Patti, Clara Louise Kell Alwina Valeria, Marie Roze, na Abbott, suin, e. La Blache, s r Brignoli, Alfred H. Pease, Strakosch, THE GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 1678. BAKER'S Breakfast Cocca, Warranted absolictely puro Cocoa, from which the excess of rT The, Cheapest. Po As being absolutely the Best Upright Pianoforte in the World. W7arercoms, 97 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. (ear Nk he ~BEHNING FIRST CLASS | Grand, Square & Upright SST SST SITS SY SP SIS SI ST ST BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY PRESENTS. atty’s Organs and Pianofortes. SER ost rid oieret EOUSE DY anna, STAN tron rr PIANOS. 15 E. 14th St. & 129 B. 126th St. New York. | Warerooms : ; ia NaperatyoeSave tine Dr. Fellx Le Brun’s ‘pomalaayway. NNN A LI ATT LS LT LTD a ; comicbooks.com