Judge, 1890-12-06 · page 19 of 52
Judge — December 6, 1890 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Christmas-themed page contains several short humorous pieces satirizing everyday life and social pretensions. **"A Bee in Her Bonnet"** depicts a woman comically distressed by a bee, using the familiar phrase as literal comedy. **"The Assistant Fool"** presents a court jester complaining that his master monopolizes humor and credit for jokes—a satire on workplace dynamics and creative theft that transcends its royal setting. **"How, Indeed"** plays on a child's innocent logic about stockings needing holes for Santa to enter—simple family humor. **"The Ship's Yule-Log"** and other brief pieces offer gentle seasonal wordplay and domestic comedy. **"The Letter That Came with the Gift"** (from "John Lammore Sullivan") appears to mock sentimental gift-giving pretense through crude dialect. Overall, the page mixes light domestic satire with social commentary on hierarchy and credit-taking, using Christmas as the framing device. The humor relies on puns, irony, and relatable situations rather than explicit political critique.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A BEE IN HER BONNET. eee “Tse a bee going for it, too.” “* Me—e—e—o—o—o—ow ! ! |" CHRISTMAS JUDGE THE ASSISTANT FOOL. [[M.a bampered and fettered poor moral, For I’m sat upon day after day By my master, the king’s premier jester ; ‘When he’s near I have nothing to say. I know a few tricklets diverting, Quite sure to bring smiles to a phiz, But discouragement 's always my portion, He 's down on all wit that's not his, T turned a back flip-fap last evening ‘And landed on arm of the throne ; The king snickered out, ‘‘ That's a good one!” T took the applause for my own. But Pancho, my master, said quietly, ‘ou can pat it right down on your books, Oh! Corpalent Potentate, mighty, He's not such a fool as he looks.” With that he sprang nimbly toward ceiling, And turned several times in the air, \Alighting, like soft, downy feathers, Tiptoed on the back of a chair. Then kissing his hand to the monarch, He growled at me under his breath, “If you dare to do that, you poor ninny, Gad z00ks ' I'll be in at your death.” I'ma fettered and hampered poor mortal, Uniquely and terribly cursed ; For try as Iwill, I'm unable To do any more than my worst. ‘Some men achieve greatness by effort, But I'm not allowed in that pool ; Ten thousand deep curses on fortune ! They won't let me act like a fool. JAMaS 5. Coopwm, HOW, INDEED. ¢ YOU SURELY don't intend to hang up a stocking with a hole in it like that?” asked Mrs. Gargoyle, severel “Why, mamma,” replied her daughter ; “how could Santa get into it if there were no hol: in it?” THE SHIP’S YULE-LOG. ve BE CAREFUL of that,” said the captain of the ship as he gave the record of the day to the first mate, Christmas night. “Is it specially precious, sir?” asked the mate. “Yes, it’s the only Yule-log we have on board.” ONCE TOO MUCH. Clara —"1 am happy to state, that Mr. Jobbs is just like Christmas.” Pauline — Why 2” Clara —" Because he comes around only once a year.” AN ECHO OF '89. Wife—" Vow quickly ime tir LETTER THAT CAME WITH THE GIFT. passes. It seems as if last Christ- ei mas were but yesterday.” Husband —“ That's very — wen we wos interjuced down to Sheay “Der LADY: “ Here's your phillyopeany présunt that you win off me d. **T ain't no squeeler, but if you'll tel me wot you want true, I've just succeeded in pay- : ; ing the last of last year's Christ- °F # hole box of gluvs, you'll releave the mind of mas bills.” (Signed) “Joun Lammore SULLIVAN,” “There's that blamed bee.” comicbooks.com