Judge, 1891-11-21 · page 5 of 18
Judge — November 21, 1891 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple satirical sketches reflecting late 19th-century American concerns: **"His Elegant Game"** mocks a tramp's attempt at literary con artistry—writing a fake letter claiming to return a lost Civil War sword ("W.P.") to extract reward money, signing it with the same initials. The post-script's sentimental reference to "blues an' grays" (Union and Confederate soldiers) adds cruel irony to his scheme. **"The Usual Way"** satirizes employer fickleness through Mr. Scuff's changing opinions of his new office boy Johnny over a week. The boy starts exemplary but gradually appears lazier, yet the employer's standards drop correspondingly—revealing how bosses rationalize mediocre employee performance rather than address it directly. **"At the Car-Stables"** appears to be ethnic humor involving Irish workers. **"A Fashionable Tendency"** jokes about urban pretension: a fashionable gentleman mistakes a Turkish rug for cloth, exposing his ignorance despite his affected mannerisms. The sketches collectively critique working-class schemes, employer hypocrisy, and nouveau-riche affectation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ONY Joy, i, b ae ¢ HIS ELEGANT GAME. MUNxEY THE TRAMP (toriting laboriously)—" James Biles, Gates Crossin’, Virginia. Dear sir: I seen your inquiry in a paper as to. the man who lost a fine sword with W. P. on the hilt, at Bail's Bluff, an’ offerin’ to return it. I'm the man, an’ if you'll send it to me express paid I'll everlastin’ thank you an’ remit all charges. Address William Pitley, Station A, N.Y. city. | Yourn grateful, W. Pittey. *P,S,—Ain't we blues an’ grays glad the war's over?” THE USUAL WAY. HESE are the remarks of Mr. Scuff, senior partner of the firm of Scuff & Bumper, showing his opinion of the new office- boy: Monday—The new office-boy is a perfect treasure. The first thing he did when he had a moment of leisure was to wash out my inkstand. It hadn't been cleaned for a year, and it was a real pleasure to write when nice fresh ink was put init. While I was at lunch Johnny dusted off my desk and put everything inits place. He's the best office-boy I ever had, polite and obliging, and very neat in appearance. Tuesday—Yes, | think Johnny is a model office-boy. He was here this morning bright and early, and had my desk as neat as a new pin, and everything in its place, when I arrived. He said “ Good-morning, Mr. Scuff,” in such a gentlemanly manner too. His appearance was hardly as neat as on yesterday, but I can overlook that if he continues punctual and does his duty satisfactorily. Wednesday—Johnny was half an hour late this morning. He said his mother neglected to call him as early as usual. I hope it will not occur again. As a conse- quence my desk wasn't dusted, for I hadn't time to leave it while Johnny put things to rights. Thursday—Johnny was here when I arrived this morning, but I noticed that my desk wasn’t dusted. He was reading the morning paper when I came in, and didn’t offer to get up. AT THE CAR-STABLES. GREEN DRIVER—“' That's nice, you tarrier!" Gaeen witcrer— Pfy don’t you go back poundin’ pavin'-shtones, you thafe?” MUNXEY (a week afterward) —*' I'm terrible sorry t’ part with it, Abram, as it’s th’ last link that binds me with my ole army record.” gets fifteen dollars.) (Sheds a tear and Friday—Johnny takes an unconscionably long time to go of an errant. He managed to put ina whole hour this morn- ing going not more than five blocks. ‘Saturday—Jobnny is making a great nuisance of himself as a whistler. At first he was nice and quiet, but he seems to have outgrown that. Monday—Oh, yes ; I had to discharge Johnny, He wasted his time awfully. Why, on Saturday he consumed three- quarters of an hour going half a square to the post-office. And then he never pretended to mind anything I said, and couldn't get to see the morning paper until after he had read it through. Then he whistled all day long when he was in the office, and regularly distracted me. He was no good and Thad to discharge him. You don't know where I could get WILLIAM HENRY SIVITER A FASHIONABLE TENDENCY. Upton Dupiticu—'‘Aw—what's the price of trousers from. that piece of cloth in the—aw—window ?” Deacer—‘‘A slight mistake, sir, That's a Turkish rug, and this is a carpet-store.”” comicbooks.com