Judge, 1885-02-07 · page 16 of 16
Judge — February 7, 1885 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This political cartoon depicts a man in formal dress (top hat, suit) who has picked up a horseshoe, apparently seeking good luck. However, the satirical twist shows him being struck or affected by various horseshoes labeled with what appear to be political or social issues—they're swinging at him chaotically. The joke plays on the superstition that finding a horseshoe brings good fortune. Instead, this figure receives an overwhelming barrage of consequences, suggesting he got far more "luck" (or rather, problems) than he anticipated by meddling with something. Without clearer visible text on the horseshoes themselves, the specific political references remain uncertain, but the cartoon mocks the ironic outcome of pursuing what seems like a beneficial action.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
&.. oz 9 n x ° fo) 2 2 E ie) cs) 2 xX MORE LUCK THAN HE BARGAINED FOR. “It Is always bad luck to pass a horse-shoe without picking It up.’