Judge, 1890-12-06 · page 8 of 52
Judge — December 6, 1890 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a New Year's greeting poem attributed to "His Honor" (likely a mayor or civic official), presented with decorative border illustration. Rather than a political cartoon, it's a seasonal sentiment piece common in satirical magazines of the era. The poem addresses the speaker's constituents warmly, urging continued goodwill and shared joy as the new year begins. References to "yule-lights" and "hearth-stones" invoke holiday imagery, while the speaker promises to maintain cheerful relations and encourage citizens to persevere through difficulties. The mild satire lies in the conventional, somewhat saccharine nature of such official greetings—the generic goodwill expressed by civic leaders during holiday season. The tone is gently mocking rather than scathing, capturing how such pronouncements, while well-intentioned, offer platitudes about shared happiness and mutual support without addressing specific governance issues.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HIS HONOR’S GREETING. KEEPING in mind that my people Now have come ‘round to the season Pregnant to bursting with gladness, Come shake my hand ;—'t will be hearty. Since the last time that the yule-lights Twinkled and glowed ‘mid the fir-green Hung and entwined o'er our hearth-stones, You and I've smiled well together. Let us by all means continue; Smiling 's like silver in one sense; Laughter 's like gold and like jewels— No one can have too much of it. Here's to another bright year-feast ! T'll do my all to make merry. Don’t shun the cares, but press through them— Tupce at your elbow, you're bound to. _ } ae ~©) COPYRIGHTED BY THE JUDGE PUBLISHING CO. 1890, comicbooks.com