Judge, 1891-07-04 · page 10 of 18
Judge — July 4, 1891 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple short jokes and cartoons typical of late 19th-century American humor. Key pieces: **"Satisfaction"** by Nathan St. Levy is a poem celebrating Independence Day noise—but the twist is the speaker is *deaf*, so they enjoy the chaos precisely because they can't hear it. This is gentle irony about finding unexpected pleasure in circumstances others find intolerable. **Social/situational jokes** include: a homely hotel clerk attracting women because he's the only man available; a wife dressed ambiguously for either a formal ball or beach; and a man tired of his companion's boasting about Niagara Falls. **Racial humor** appears in "How the Poultry Was Saved," featuring dialect-speaking Black characters (Pete Jounsing and Sam Tompkins) worried about a farmer's shotgun—reflecting period stereotypes. **The cartoons** depict Victorian-era leisure scenes with pen-and-ink illustrations showing couples and social situations, typical of Judge's satirical commentary on contemporary manners and domestic life. The page reflects Judge's mix of wordplay, observational humor about social conventions, and period-typical racial caricature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE SATISFACTION. LIKE the din of Independence day, The pop of crackers and the rocket's blare. I like the tumult that is in the air; The cracking of torpedoes and the way ‘The small boy shouts and howls in manner gay : 1 like the clamor that is everywhere. And though it drives some people to despair, T welcome all the sound and: bid it stay. like the pistol’s crack, the cannon's roar, ‘The bursting of a shell especially ; ‘The children with their din-producing toys ; The more the clatter and the stir, the more The joy and satisfaction are to me, Because I'm deaf and do not hear the noise. NATHAN St. LEVY. IN THE MOUNTAINS. SO THAT hotel clerk is as ugly as sin, and yet the women overwhelm him with attentions.” “ Well, you see, he’s the dnly man in the place.” WHY HE WAS SURPRISED. Bunting —"\ am surprised at what a noisy day the Fourth is getting to be.” Larkin —* Didn't you know it was loaded?” NOT BUILT THAT WAY. “irst deg—"V'm going to stay in town and take in the fun on the ‘cond dog —"So would 1 if my tail were as short as yours.” A MISLEADING GARB, Bagley (at the seashore) —" Is your wife going to the ball to-night ?* Batley — Well, she's dressed for something, but I'm blessed if I know whether she’s going to ¥ the ball or down to the beach for a moonlight TIRED OF HIM, Pusnury (at Niagara) —"' These are nothi in the Alps. It's more than a thousand feet high.’ Miss Currer—"'I know; but I don't believe it drowns conversation so nicely as this one docs.” You ought to see the Bridal-veil fall HOW THE POULTRY WAS SAVED. Pere, JouNsiNG (at the back of the hen-house)—"* Huh! What's dat noise? I'll bet ole man Squires am in front wif his shot-gun.” Sam TompKins (af the front of the hen-house)—"* Yow one ahind dere. I guess I'll skip "fore de boss catches me.” SHUT OUT. ‘OYE HAVE come to offer you an increase in salary," said the deacon, “but we have doubts whether you will accept it.” “Why so?” asked the parson eagerly. * Because,” said the deacon, “we haven't been able to collect it.” LIKE THE FIREWORKS. Bunting —" What has become of that fireworks trust you were going to organize?” Larkin —" It's exploded.” Dere’s some GREAT LUCK, Jones (just reached the fishing-grounds) —“ What kind of luck are you havin’, Brown?” Brown —* First-rate. Been here an hour and hain’t fell in yet." NO ONE TO SCARE. Brown — So Johnnie didn’t fire off any crackers in the house?” Mrs. Brown —"No, His sisters went out for the day.” N° WALKING delegate ever tries to call out the men at the fireworks. CHEERFULLY DISRE Mucesny (inside) —"" Hullo, Tom Comexrorb—"* How are you? Aren't you attending to the furniture business any longer ?" Mucessy —‘* No; that failed, Changed off for the bar- fixture biz, now. comicbooks.com