Judge, 1891-12-05 · page 28 of 52
Judge — December 5, 1891 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Christmas-themed page from Judge satirizes American life and customs circa early 1900s: **"Of a Saving Disposition"**: A rural farmer holds a basin under a leaking gas pipe indoors, claiming he's been doing so for half an hour. The joke mocks penny-pinching frugality—the farmer won't call a repairman, instead wasting time with an ineffectual "fix." **"Christmas Hints"**: Practical satirical advice targeting middle-class behaviors—don't ask children what they want unless you'll buy it; avoid installment plans for gifts to sweethearts; hide price tags; and the jab at poor families: a child rejoices at Christmas primarily for turkey and pudding, not sentiment. **"Fact vs. Fiction"**: Two nearly identical images of a statue with caption noting an honest spider's web gives it truthfulness—dark humor about public monuments and appearances versus reality. **"Realistic Art"**: A series of simple domestic scenes showing everyday life. The page's overall tone ridicules working-class and rural American frugality, materialism, and hypocrisy around Christmas celebrations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CHRISTMAS JUDGE. REALISTIC ART. OF A SAVING DISPOSITION. Nigur-cueeK (ticking vigorously) —“ Hi there, inside! Your gas is leaking !* FARMER OATCAKE—"* Wa-all, I know it! Hain’t I ben holdin’ this basin under the gosh-darned thing fur half an hour?” CHRISTMAS HINTS, ON’T ask your child what he wants unless you intend giving it to him. ‘Though money makes the mare go, it makes Santa Claus come. Don’t buy your best girl a present on the installment plan, as she might jilt you before you had made all the payments. Rub the price-mark off the present unless it is an expensive one. If you wish to surprise your girl never ask her what she would like for Christmas. When you have the Christmas-tree up, it doesn’t mean that you have it fixed up. At Christmas time it is well enough to ape the English as far as the plum pudding is concerned. Some persons never wish you a merry Christmas unless they think they will get something for doing so. Santa Claus would never make a schoolmaster. Whatever is good he puts at the foot of the stocking. If we don’t have base-ball at Christmas we have the cricket on the hearth. The bachelor who puts his thumb into the boarding-house Christmas pie is apt to pull out a collar-button, POVERTY'S LESSON. Sunday-school teacher — Children, can you tell me for what we should especially rejoice on Christmas ?” Bobby Hardup ~"'Cos that's the one day in the year that we git turkey and puddin.” FACT VS. FICTION. tel es. + i id his best to gi An admiring citizen erected this statue part peni = comicbooks.com