Judge, 1890-12-20 · page 10 of 16
Judge — December 20, 1890 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Judge* contains multiple brief satirical sketches mocking everyday American life and social pretenses of the era. **Key sketches:** - **"Compensation"** and **"A Fellow Feeling"**: Sentimental romantic poetry contrasted with crude restaurant humor (bald customer finding hair in soup) - **"Meeting Argument with Argument"**: A farmer accuses a Black man of stealing chickens; the defendant denies it while feathers are literally visible in a tree above—satirizing absurd racial accusations and transparent excuses - **"Business is Business"**: Mocks the commercialization of social rituals by implying wealthy families now charge fees for party invitations - **"Modern Improvements"**: Compares New York and Chicago apartment buildings, with a dark joke that Chicago's divorce laws mean landlords can supply everything—including replacing the wife - **"Utopia Still Distant"**: A peace society president has split his organization, mocking idealistic reformers The bottom illustration shows horses progressively deteriorating into mud, likely satirizing urban decay or declining social standards. The humor relies on class commentary, racial stereotypes typical of the period, and cynical observations about commercialism and social hypocrisy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A FELLOW FEELING. IX A RESTAURANT. Customer (whose head is perfectly bald) —“ Waiter, what does this mean? I've found a hair in my sonp.” COMPENSATION. AVILAT though the heartless skies be gray As granite freshly hewn? The blue that warmed them yesterday In Betty's eyes has leit a ray Waiter —" Oh, keep it, sir! To make December June. keep it!" What though thick snow-flakes GO SLOW. whitely fall, HE TOOK his titue forure As wild the winter blows? bride ‘Though never leaf be left at all My Betty's ruddy cheeks hath all Out with him for a sleigh-ride. They smacked so hard the horses The colors of the rose ! shied ew. SC CLASSON, And spilt them on the way- side. *T Sa painful infiction, | fear, When farmers have corn in CAUSE AND EFFECT. Husband —" My stars What has happened? Here's a thousand dollars’ worth of bric-A-brac smashed all to the ear, NO EXCUSES TAKEN. Reverend Bluelaw —* My dear young lady, | am sorry to see that you are not a regular attendant ings. Wife (helplessly) —" 1 — don't —know. I've been tak- a Has there been an earth- T WITH ARGUME Young lady—"\ should like to go, but Iam so nervous that I can't. Squire Fa proof now that youstole my pullets.” afternoon ?” sit still.” Mr. Bt ain't, sah. I's innercent ez a babe.” Husband —" No." en avn + SQUIRE FL ‘ere did those feathers come from ?” is ieee : Reverend Bluelaw—"Um'—then Mg. Bivert—" Tress yo" heart! dar's a mewl-shoe up dar, but it iVife—« Then Bridget has) been go to the Episcopal church. ain't no sign dat I stole dmew!, dusting. AN AID TO PEREG Wire: MOUNTAIN NaTIVE—" Tim kinder bold askin’ it, but what's that iron thing round your waist ? That's my tire, friend. 1 find it very useful going down hill, Good-morning. UTOPIA STILL DISTANT. Returned tourist —"\s_ Mr. Lovall still president of the peace-on-earth society ?” Resident — He is president of one branch of it. They've had a split.” A THOUGHTLESS CRITIC. SAY, Bob, why don’t you marry Margue- rite, your sister's friend? She's a charm- ing girl —a regular angel.” Conceded; but she pain “Now my dear fellow, place your hand on your heart and tell me honestly if you ever saw an angel that wasn't painted.” MODERN IMPROVEMENTS, New-Yorker—" tell you our improved flats cannot be excelled in the conveniences furnished to tenants. In moving into them a man need take nothing; but his wife and children; everything else is supplied by the landlor« Chicagoan —" My dear sit, in Chicago flats even that is unnece our divorce-law en- ables the landlord to supply also that.” BUSINESS IS BUSINESS. Miss Forundred Mrs. Gaswell to our Mrs. Forundred — How much are they paying this year for in- vitations 2” we invite Mr. and m! 1 don’t know SVOLUTION OF THE MUD RACE- HORSE. comicbooks.com