Judge — December 6, 1890 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts two Black men in a humorous dispute over escorting a woman named Miss Ritchie. The figure labeled "Wauring" requests to borrow "Weeks" for just a minute to escort the lady, while "Weeks" refuses, declaring he's "discovered" (presumably claiming he's found her first or has prior claim). The satire plays on gentlemanly courtship conventions by applying them to working-class Black characters, likely mocking the formality of the era's social rituals. The title "An Unwilling Loan" suggests one man views his companion's time as something to be borrowed—a comedic exaggeration of male competition for female attention. This reflects Judge magazine's frequent use of racial caricature for comedic effect, typical of late 19th-century American humor.