Judge, 1888-04-14 · page 5 of 16
Judge — April 14, 1888 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Judge* contains several satirical sketches mocking social pretensions and cultural absurdities of the era. **"The Military Buck"** ridicules vain soldiers who primp obsessively before parades, adopt cruel airs toward civilians, yet behave as dandified "prig[s]" seeking frivolous pleasures—the satire targets their hollow bravado masking shallow character. **"He Had Heard About It"** jokes about rural ignorance of urban fashions: a countryman's wife has heard of "five o'clock tea" in New York and demands it, but he doesn't know what it is. The humor derives from the gap between rural and urban sophistication. **Other sketches** include "Unnecessary Precaution" (a man avoiding leap-year social events), "The Man of It" (new father claiming his baby resembles him), and "Out of Order" (a farmer confusing a mailbox for a stamp dispenser). The page represents typical *Judge* content: genteel mockery of class pretension, rural simplicity, military vanity, and social climbing—reflecting Gilded Age anxieties about status and propriety.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE JUDGE'S PHOTOGRAPHS THE MILITARY BUCK. With a withering glance in his eye anda murderous leeron his lip, he buckles a cartridge box and a bayonet tube on his hip. He combs his insipid mustache and smoothes every crease in his coat, and fastens a gold- braided collar as tight as he ean round his throat; and buckling his gaiters and straps, with the help of his dear mother’s maid, his gin- ger-bread highness is ready to strut in the morning parade. By George! what a cruel expression flames up in his innocent eye if a bevy of delic ties should sm passes them by. scowls at a burly police- s he shoulders his mus- He smiles to a baleony party doubtless intended to color the soldier's career is a jolli- ith the trigger while trying nd jostles a cripple in rags, who eri ki et on ter th’ worl and vews to hims humdrum existe fication of fun, till he bruises his thumb tocarry his gun. It is when on the pavement he saunters, just out of acold shower-tub, and before he has broken his fast at some highly re- lub, that he looks just as fresh pinned on the He plays quite a stiff game of bili pulls stroke ; or he boxes or fences wit and in short he's the company’s boast when cracking the ice for his brandy or stab- bing his Welsh-rarebit toast. The chorus-girl pleases his simple, un- questioning taste when she sings, while he le from the box and the fairy smiles out of the first set of win les the drawing-room “buds” with a queer, super conquest is made by his odd, lackadaisical air. For a dandified prig of the guards has a UNNECESSARY PRECAUTION, Snr—> How is it, Mr, Verdant, we haven't seen you at any of the receptions this year!" toe it~ Weally. Miss Philip, I'm afwaid to go in company leap-year, I'd be such a catch for Setnw of them, you know. She- “Oh! don't let that worry you: you never find any children there.” loathsome contempt for the town, except when with jolly compan he sa a “million” and go to the altar with fe: but calmly gaze up at the bishopand smile as he answers him “ He DEWITT STARRY, HE HAD HEARD ABOUT IT. Countryman—"'Say, mister, I want some of this here new tea.” Grocer—** Oolong, Young Hyson, Old Hyson, Japan—any of those?” Countryman—"No, you hain’t mentioned it yit. down to New York and she says it’s all the go there. women git together in the afternoon and drink it.” Grocer—"' Oh, you mean ata five o'clock tea?” Countryman— You've rung the bell, young man. pound of five o'clock tea.” ” My gal’s been You see a lot of Give mea wens. ON REAGAN'S BALCONY. Mrs. Reaoan (whose bushel hax slime well on the « stylish no more, Mra. Casey. ICs a deer-parrk we've slitarted. * Mrs, Casey (investigating on her way home)—"Av thot ain’ Cor-rualius Reagan's ould nanny, Oi “Il ate it: THE MAN OF IT, No, I can't say the baby is very handsome, but it is a good young one.” Friend—‘‘I suppose it takes after you in disposition?” New father—* Yes, indeed; and every one says it is the very pic- ture of its mother.” New father—" OUT OF ORDER. Farmer Oatcake—“ Hello, policeman! what sort o' swindle is that thing stuck on the lamp-post?” Officer—‘* That's the posht-office box, sor.” Oatcake—"'It is, eh? Why, hang it! I dropped my nickel in the slot, but nary a stamp jas come out.” A THING ONE WOULD RATHER HAVE LEFT UNSAID. Miss Flowerbell you are sure—quite sure -- Mr. Fresh- man, you won't forget—you will send me * Owen Meredith’ before to morrow?” Freshman (anxious to air his uncertain Latin)—‘ Send, indeed! I'll bring it--in puris naturalibus, you know.” comicbooks.com