Judge, 1891-12-05 · page 18 of 52
Judge — December 5, 1891 — page 18: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a humorous poem by Nathan M. Levy mocking the "winter girl" — a fashionable society woman of the era. The satire targets her shallow materialism and expensive tastes: she obsesses over high-end fashion designers (Felix, Worth), attends operas and balls, collects vases, and constantly demands champagne, flowers, and jewelry. The joke centers on the narrator's financial ruin funding her lifestyle. He complains his "weekly stipend vanishes," forcing him to "borrow as a last resource." Yet the poem concludes sentimentally, forgiving her because she's graceful, kind to the poor, and her "heart is right." The accompanying portrait and the unrelated photograph below ("His First Pair of Pants") suggest Judge's typical format mixing verse satire with illustrations. The piece mocks both wealthy women's consumerism and men's romantic helplessness against it — a common late-19th-century magazine theme.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE likes to go to germans and to teas, Confessing’ she’s a slave to N social ties; NN She's given much’ to harmless pleasantries, There's much of fascination in her eyes. She reads the fashion column ev'ry day, And knows the styles of Felix and of Worth; She steps into a carriage in a way That makes one think she really owns the earth, I've taken her to opera and ball, Decked out in gems and robe of rare brocade I wonder has she ever thought of all The bills I've footed for her, lovely maid! She's fond of little suppers—with cham- pagne— And flow'rs in plenty she must have, of course; My weekly stipend vanishes amain, And so I borrow as a last resource. Her fads she has: the vase -collecting craze; The Wagner school and something of Delsarte. In amateur theatricals she plays; In “living tableaus” oft she takes apart. MY WINTER GIRL. HIS FIRST PAIR OF PANTS. FROM A PICTURE BY ROBERT E. M. RAIN, She talks of Seidl and of Gilmore's band ; Of how she helps the heathen much she tells; And when not talking dips her dainty hand Into a box of chocolate caramels. She's graceful, and her manners e’er are nice ; Ah! into poesy you'll surely glide Ife’er you see her dancing o'er the ice Or tempting the o'er-fleet toboggan- slide. Her great ambition is a seal-skin sacque, And precious gems, of course, she quite adores ; She reads the latest novels and keeps track Of all the bargains at the dry- goods stores. But, ah! the glow of health is on her cheek ; The light of love is seen within her eyes Though fond of pleasure, doth she ever seek With those who ‘re sad and poor to sympathize. Her heart is right, the captivating elf, ‘And he who does not love her is a churl; So now I hasten to devote myself Unto my bright and smiling winter girl! NATHAN Af, LEVY. comicbooks.com