Judge — September 14, 1889 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon satirizes wealthy high-society figures during the social season's end. The reference to "Midas" invokes the mythological king whose touch turned everything to gold—suggesting that money corrupts romance and authentic connection. The verse indicates a romantic narrative interrupted by financial reality: a couple enjoys the season's social circuit ("dined her and wined her and beached"), but their relationship is ultimately undermined by economic concerns ("spooned in the soup by old Gold"). The elaborate illustration depicts fashionable characters in period dress at what appears to be a seaside or resort setting, typical of Judge magazine's commentary on upper-class American society. The satire critiques how material wealth and social status ultimately dominate even personal relationships during the leisure season, reducing genuine human connection to economic transaction.