Judge, 1889-12 · page 27 of 53
Judge — December 1889 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains six brief humorous sketches satirizing Victorian-era middle-class social mishaps: **"Got Himself in Hot Water"**: A man accidentally gives his wife's intended diamond pin gift to a cousin with the same name, who immediately sails to Europe. The joke mocks marital discord and the impossibility of correcting the mistake. **"As Bad as Christmas Time"**: A poem about debt collectors, comparing the burden of paying debts to "paying the piper"—a common expression meaning facing consequences. **"Both Had Twins"** and **"Joy"**: Husband exchanges about unwanted gifts disguised as twins—wives gave husbands children (twins) while husbands gave wives shoes. Darkly satirizes marriage frustrations. **"Slick Scheme"**: A man avoids walking home drunk from a club dinner by having his wife send the bird-dog to follow him; the cab driver follows the dog to the hunting point—mocking both inebriation and marital manipulation. **"An Unfortunate Swap"**: A man unprepared for an overnight stay attempts to borrow a tailcoat, receiving a "new tailless one" instead—wordplay on fashion and social embarrassment. All mock Victorian domesticity and class pretensions.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GOT HIMSELF IN HOT WATER. Rigby—" Why so glum, old boy?” Digby—"We had a Christmas- tree at our house last night, and by mistake when I was giving out the presents I gave a nice diamond pin, that my wife intended for me, to my cousin who is a namesake of mine.” Rigby—" Why don’t you explain it to him? Digby—"1 can't; he sailed fo Europe this afternoon before I had a chance, and my wife has been nagging me ever since.” AS BAD AS CHRISTMAS TIME, THE man in debt, whom cares beset, Whose notes grow ripe and riper, ‘The meanest debt he ever met Was when he paid the piper. Going home, old man?” ‘a-as ; rawther tiresome.” A FRIEND INDEED. AN UNFORTUNATE SWAP. BOTH HAD TWINS. M'Dump—" Fare well Christ- mas, old man? M'Gump—" Too well.” M'Dump—* How so?” M'Gump—" My wife made me a present of a pair of twit M' Dump—" So did mine!" M’Gump—" Are you making game of me?” . AM’ Dump—"Oh, no; she gave me a pair of shoes SLICK SCHEME. Mr. Twombly—" How did you manage about getting home from the Christmas banquet at the club last night ?” Mr. Clubly y enough. My wife sent my bird-dog after me, and the cabby followed the dog until it came to a point.” Say I've ripped ‘my coat, and I've got a dance on with Miss jou change with me?” e “Certainly. Off she comes. It's one of the new tailless ones, Donpsow (joining his partner)—"* Your father did me the honer toask me to pass the night here, but {'m hardly prepared.” Miss Worpex—"'Oh ! do stay, Mr. Dodson.” comicbooks.com