Judge, 1889-12 · page 43 of 53
Judge — December 1889 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising and humor page** rather than a political cartoon. The page contains: **Advertisements:** Fischer Pianos (established 50 years, over 80,000 in use) and Spencer Trask & Co. Bankers dominate the layout. **"Christmas Chestnuts"** section: A collection of mild holiday jokes playing on familiar tropes—St. Nick always "filling 'em up" (drinking), Christmas expenses straining wallets, Santa's delayed deliveries, etc. These are puns and observational humor rather than satire. **Notable jokes include ethnic/class humor:** "Moses Levi" (a Jewish moneylender reference) stealing a watch, and "Santa Cruz" (wordplay suggesting a drunk man's faith in alcohol). The content reflects late 19th-century middle-class anxieties about Christmas consumerism, domestic drinking, and working-class financial struggles, presented through gentle ribaldry typical of Judge magazine's approach.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CHRISTMAS JUDGE ESTABLISHED 50 YEARS. THE WORLD-RENOWNED THE PIANO OF THE AGE, USED AND PREFERRED BY THE BEST ARTISTS. WAREROOMS AND OFFICES: 110 5TH AVENUE, Cor. 16TH STREET, NEW YORK. JUDGE CHRISTMAS CHESTNUTS. ICKK is like a bar-tender—he’s always filling ‘em up. RYTHING can stand Christmas except the pocket-book. PAYING the compliments of the season won't square the old score. ‘ THE mince-pie, after all, is about the most complicated of Christmas plots. THE old maid’s wig is the only Christmas present that ever gets in the soup. WE may grow too wise to hang up our stocking and yet not be the happier. SANTA CLAUS is not a carpenter, but he makes a great many Christmas-boxes. THE. small boy must not be disappointed if he doesn’t find the sled in his stocking. Dox’r neglect to hire the sweep just because Santa Claus came down the chimney. IF Christmas did not come in the winter we would no longer be able to boast that there were no flies on the mince-pic. THE TOPER’S SAINT. ROM Soak’s life one a moral draws That is not hard to lose, For when he gave up Santa Claus He believed in Santa Cruz. DEAD SEA FRUIT. Bessie — Miss Oldgirl showed me all the presents she received for Christmas Jessie —" She has been showing them to me regularly every year for | don’t know how long.” NO SUCH GOOD NEWS. Mrs. Toddyman (to her husband, who has come home sober the night before Christmas and given her some money)—" Why ! have you taken the pledge, dear ?” Mr. Toddyman (fceling a bunch of keys where his watch ought to be)—No; Moses’ Levi took it.” BUILDING. Spencer Trask & Co.,, BANKERS, 18 Broad NEW YORK CITY, SARATOGA: Grand Union Hotel, Nos. 16 and Street, ALBANY. N.Y.: PROVIDENCE, R.1. State Street, cor, James, 5 & 7 Exchange Place, TRANSACT A GENERAL BANKING BUSINESS. All Classes of Securities Bought and Sold on Commission. Special Attention Given to Investments, Interest Allowed on Daily Balances, Deposits Received subject to Sight Checks, Direct Wire to each Office, and to BOSTON : 20 Congress Street, 63 Federal Street, 6o State Street. PHILADELPHIA 114 & 116 Custom House Place (Drexel Building). CHICAGO: 2 Board of Trade, comicbooks.com