Judge, 1891 · page 29 of 69
Judge — 1891 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This two-part story satirizes rural naïveté and overconfidence. Josh, a country banker's son from "Strawville," goes to work in York (New York City) convinced he's prepared to outwit urban swindlers after reading newspapers. His first customer—an elderly gentleman requesting a check cashed—Josh rudely refuses, certain he's spotted a con artist. The man leaves a note instead. Josh proudly reports foiling the scheme to his senior partner, only to learn the man was Mr. Hatch, a legitimate colleague, and the "bundle of bank-notes" Josh later handed out was actually stolen by the real swindler, Skinner, whom Josh trusted completely. The joke: Josh's smug confidence in his own shrewdness blinds him to actual danger while making him suspicious of honest people. The ending—him back home making change—suggests his humiliating failure. The satire mocks rural Americans' assumptions about city dangers and their overestimation of their own cleverness.
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FUNNY THINGS FROM JUDGE. LOTS OF GAUL. Miss OGLETHORPE—"* Pardon me, Mr. Hagglewroth, but you seem a trifle distrait,”" Mr. Haca call you a * parvynoo."" THE SQUIRE'S BOY. The village was moved to its very centre. Representatives” assembled and discussed but one topi Tompkins’ boy Josh was going to “York” to become a banker. It was a proud day for Straw- ville, and the inhabitants felt their importance: At the last session, the Squire had poured forth his accustomed eloquence, and he felt that his son should now be able to enter that great city, which he himself had beheld only by mental vis- ion, fully prepared to encounter and overcome each and every temptation, and to avoid being “roped in” by the wicked denizens of that most wicked “Gotham.” Josh had read the papers about once a month, and had listened with open mouth to many a tale of fraud and deception which bold, bad men had perpetrated upon unsuspecting millionaires and bankers’ clerks, etc., and “ must be a smart villain, indeed,” thought he, who could pull the pecuniary wool over his eyes. The wished-for opportunity came at last. Josh was left in charge of an office in this city. As he pulled down his double- breasted, three-button vest and ran his hand through his carroty hair, he longed for the entrance of the daring swindler. Josh’s first visitor was a small, timid sort of personage, with a bald head, gold eye-glasses, etc., who approached cautiously, and in a low voice requested to have a check cashed. Josh “sized him up” in a mo- ment. The “ WROTH (uncom fortably)—"* | was just looking in my * World’s Compendium of Etiquette’ to see what to reppytee when you overhear a lady “Here now! no, you don’t; you can’t play any gamcs on me, Senate and young feller. *Squire Mr. GENESEE (making his maiden speech in the legistature)—"* You may think, gentlemen, that my constituents are what you are pleased here in Albany to term * hayseeds,” bu by a colossal majority ! T want you to understand that you can't fool us—not Get out of here lively now, or I'll hand you over!” The old gentleman paused, hesitated, and attempted to explain, but Josh was inexorable. He relented so far, however, as to allow the gentleman to leave a note for the firm, and then leaned back and congratulated himself on his shrewdness, The next visitor was a large, imposing personage, who, in a voice that rang through the office, demanded attendance. “I came after that bundle of bank-notes; there itis just inside the safe there !" “All right,” said Josh, hand- ing out the package ; me a receipt, will you?’ The visitor complied and took his departure. The entrance of the senior partner put a stop to Josh’s transactions, and with a proud step the latter approached the desk to make a report. “Anybody been in ?” “Yes, sir; Mr. Skinner called for that bundle of bank-notes. Here is the receipt. An old fel- low tried to get me to cash a check, but I was too smart for him ; I knew he was no good. He said his name was Hatch, but I told him he couldn't Hatch anything out of me. Ha! ha! ha!" Josh is now making change be- hind the counter of the ’Squire’s store, and as he examines the one-dollar bank-notes and rings the trade-dollars on the counter, the oldest inhabitant remarks with a sigh: “ There ain’t no use talking, a person does get bright- ened up wonderful in York.” comicbooks.com