Judge, 1888 · page 23 of 72
Judge — 1888 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from the satirical magazine **Judge** contains several unrelated humorous sketches poking fun at contemporary society: 1. **"Impecunious Dude"** (top left): A poor gentleman swaps his worn umbrella for a wealthy man's silk one—a commentary on class pretense and petty theft masquerading as "fair exchange." 2. **"Caught at His Own Game"** (top center): A con artist attempting to swindle someone discovers the tables turned—satire on deception backfiring. 3. **"The Dude's Ultima Thule"** (right): Mocks an affected, snobbish diner demanding "imported" bread at Delmonico's (a famous restaurant), ridiculing pretentious affectation and class-consciousness. 4. **"A Half Holiday"** and **"The Automatic Umbrella Tragedy"** (bottom): Appear to be humorous anecdotes with visual gags about umbrellas malfunctioning and social mishaps. The long dialect story occupies the left column—appears to be a sentimental tale about a slave and pig, typical of period folk humor. Overall, the page satirizes American social pretension, fraud, and class anxiety of the Gilded Age/early 20th century.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NATURAL GAS FROM JUDGE. Inpecuntous pupE— Hello! here’s a find. Tl just take this old codger'ssilk umbrella and leave him mine. It begins to look a little seedy. Fair exchange no robbery.” right smart werried with som’fin keep on er stealin’ ’is fates’ pigs. En w'en he say anyting ’bout hit ter ole man Ned—Pig’s daddy— he'd say, ‘Fox, mars'r, fox--sho’ yo’ bawn ; dem varmits es gittin’ metty bad—fox tried ter bite me ter’er night in de woods;’ an’ Pig’s oie mars’r b'leeved in Uncle Ned mo’en he did in he self. Well, dar he went, ridin’ ‘long easy lik an’ fust ting he knows he come’, ercross Pig wid er lil’ fat shoat un’er each arm, hol'in’ dey moufs ~ so dey couldn’ squeal, an’ des er lafin’ an’ er lafin’ an’ er sayin’ *O dat fox! dat bad fox, wha’ ketches all ole mars’r's pigs.” Ole mars’r he tuk 'n’ jump down an’ crope clos’ hine ‘im, he did, an’ cotched ‘im by the wool an’ say, ‘Bress my life, ef here a’n't er — “Stunnin; big pig er ca’yin’ two iT’ ones’! "appetite, en den Pig thought ’e war sho’ gwine git er w'ippin’ fer stealen’ ; but ole mars’r he never totched im, Wha’ you reckon ’e done ’stead er dat?” “I dunno! Sole ‘im, mebbe?” “No, sirree— Bob — Jenkins! He wan't dat kine. He took Pig on up ter der hous’ an’ CAUGHT AT HIS OWN GAME, Sop pupE—“Great Scott! Nothing but a cover and ribs.” Sold again. OLD SHarrer—"By George! I kinder thought that feller would bite. Not so bad after all.” A HALF HOLIDAY. “Well, Tom, how is this, eh?” made um blow de horn fer all der niggers—mars'r had er heap ob *em—ter come dar. An’ we'en dey war all dar in de yahd, he tuk 'n tuk Pig ‘n’ sot ’m in er cheer— him an’ er shoats too—an’ den he say, ole mars’ did, ‘Boys, dar's a new han’ I got—Mr. Pig Chop- pin— an’ ’is two li'l’ brothers. Come up an’ shake han’s wid ‘im all on ye, an’ be sho’ yo’ don’ never call ’im nothin’ else ;’ an’ frum dat good day 'e war Pig ter everybody.” “Da’s er funny name, but dat needn’ keep ’im f'm preachin’. He war er sinner den, Sis’ Etha; now he's wash’ by the blood er de Lam’.” “Mebbe so, Sis Sary, but ’tain’t washed away his taste for shoat. I didn’t anticipate so much enjoyment, and I'm getting such Ef it ever did dat den I'd b'leeve in tim.” THE DUDE'S ULTIMA THULE. “ Aw, waitah,” drawled out a dude in Del- monico’s, “take away this beastly stuff. Weally, I cawn't go this common bread. Haven't yaw any of the imported, yaw know 2” THE AUTOMATIC “You see the umbrella opens of its own accord.” Deater—* By simply pressing this spring”"— ‘one of the Ma; UMBRELLA TRAGEDY. Mr. Newrapp—“ Here comes um girls. Now And it was eminently successful. fora bow that'll break her all up.” comicbooks.com