Judge, 1888-01-28 · page 6 of 16
Judge — January 28, 1888 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several unrelated satirical pieces typical of Judge magazine's format: **"It Might Be Worse"** (top left): A poem about a poor Persian poet who complains about barefoot poverty, then encounters someone even more miserable, teaching him gratitude. Standard Victorian moral humor. **"Old Chocolate's Target Practice"** (right): Dialect humor featuring an African American character ("De liah," "nebbah") dispensing folk wisdom in stereotypical speech. This reflects the era's offensive but common racial caricature humor in mainstream publications. **"Tadium Vitae"** (bottom left): A tramp asks a wealthy man for money, claiming life's monotony. Social commentary on class and work attitudes. **"The Modern Requirement"** and other brief sketches below present domestic and social satire on contemporary issues like courtship and prohibition. The overall page demonstrates Judge's mix of moral lessons, class commentary, and—notably—casual racial stereotyping that was normalized in early 20th-century American humor publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE Who was poor, ets always are, You know And he thought ‘twas very hard That so excellent a bard Must go barefoot trudging, trudging, To and fro, So he fretted and he grumbled At his fate, And some misanthrop With a very But, one day as le was walking, He dist see One whose feet ¥ Am contentinent from t Overtlowed in all his rhyme, Awl a most delightful, happy. relies the matter of which Mu X.. wife of Dr. X. once formed, deprived of its vital principl WILL DO BETTER IN TIME. court ld you perpetrate so easy a robbery in so bungling a was Ina po * How TADIUM VITA. Tramp -" Couldn't yer let a poor man have a quarter Misiser—" What! A strong, healthy man like you Tua —" Yes; I'm sick of the monotony of life and dying for a little change.” OLD CHOCOLATE’S TARGET PRACTICE, De liah has strange dreat De strongah de hoss de b jah his load. Hit nebbah takes a judge an’ jury toe diseo Fair play am a good motto whar dar er nv competition Hit ah de fawchinist man dat takes misfawchune de hahdey Hit am a cu’us fac’ dat in dis wol’ oddabs profit by ouah A po’ man’s coat may be ragged, but holes hab no business in pockets, ‘oe de lazy man w'o er “fraid ob de dahk chicken potpicamg strunjah. De speci dat he v man toe see ‘is own weak prints ez dou: de back ob ‘is neck. uff crumbs ah equ: a mou'ful on um du toc a slice; but hit al de time lov ziti aggervates. LOST ON HARRY, Sne— Oh, isn’t this delightful! Just come a little closer, dearest Harry is near,” I feel safer whea ny THE MODERN REQUIREMENT. Fond mother—* Doctor, I She's peevish and fretful and I can’t do anything with her.” Doctor— Perhaps your daughter is in love. Maybe she pine for love in a cottag ‘ond father in love and pining for 3 you may depend upon it don't know vw to do v Low Nothing of the sort. If she's ina Fifth-avenue mansion, A PROHIBITION TRACT. “Three scruples make a drachm,” is taught By teachers to their pupils: Yet drams, if they're too often sought, Won't add unto your scruples. WILLING TO ACCOMMODATE. Highwayman—* Your money or your life.” Traveler—“‘T have neither with me, but if you must have some equivalent I'll give you my note for ten days.” comicbooks.com