Judge, 1892-02-20 · page 5 of 16
Judge — February 20, 1892 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects brief humorous sketches typical of Judge's satirical format: **"A Valentine"** (top left): A sentimental poem accompanying a cupid illustration—straightforward romantic humor rather than satire. **"A Straight Answer"** and other Irish dialect jokes: These feature working-class Irish characters (indicated by phonetic dialect: "thot," "yisterd'y"), reflecting Judge's era when Irish immigrants were common subjects of American humor, often portrayed as rough laborers in mines or stables. **"The Poet and the Star"**: Satirizes the high cost of maintaining a mistress ("the star")—suggesting a wealthy patron's expensive affair. **"Economy"**: Dark humor about poverty—poor families economize by having all children sicken simultaneously to avoid multiple doctor visits. **"Before Dinner"** and **"In the Court-Yard"**: Working-class scenes (miners, stable hands) depicting comic misunderstandings through dialect. The page exemplifies Judge's mix of gentle domestic humor and class-based satire, with Irish characters often portrayed as comic figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A VALENTIN! ONLY have courage to tend you a kiss With my pen, and T rust youlll ot take ft amiss. you for more, Bat just humbly leave my regards ‘at your door. Though the paper be chilly; the ‘writing be black, be black, In my beart, I assure ‘you, there's ‘not any lack, Of warmth or of color, and cer- tainly you, Who steal’ all my thoughts as the sun does the dew, ‘Will not take unkindly the words I ‘Ang think T should either have said —or MASON. A STRAIGHT ANSWER. * Oi hear thot Micky wor hurt in th’ blast yisterday.” —Thrue fur you.” “An how is he gettin’ along?” ‘Oh, he can’t complain.” COULDN'T CATCH, 46 AREN'T you afraid of catching some terrible disease, doctor, in the practice of your profession ?” “Oh, no; never. I am well inoculated. Before I went into medicine I was a base-ball player. Muffed everything.” THE POET AND THE STAR. THERE was a poet in olden times Who loved a star; but he loved in vain, For it took much more than he earned with rhymes To pay what it cost for the star's champagne, ECONOMY. Mrs, Trotter —"\ hear that all three of Mrs. Barlow's children have the measles.” Mrs. Faster —* Yes; so L understand. They're so poor that they have to economize on the doctor by all getting sick at once.” BEFORE DINNER. Cotonet Denvir (who has devoted his life to the mines)— you say this boose was called?” Banker VicNerte — Eighteen-forty sherry and Trinidad bitters—just for an appetizer, you know.” Cotonet Dexvir—" Well, you go right in an’ set down an’ T'll be there in a few minutes. Your dinner smells so good that I want to give it a fair show.” A LONG-HEADED FATHER. +e YOU weren't mad, then, when your daugh- ter eloped ?" t muc “Why did you pursue them so hotly for twenty miles? “Twas afraid they might repent and come back.” A SURE CURE. PON the floor the baby fell And with awful scream did fetch up. What did I give it to stop its yell? T gave it to ma to catch up. HIS MIND WOULD CHANGE. ; Wile (THEY say that truth is stranger than fiction, IN THE COURT-YARD. : Fou knee Mr. Dowrone (who has ridden but little) —* What's wrong with the saddle, Patrick?” cceaee THR LIVERY-STABLE GRoomM—'I thought be th’ way Oi cud look undernathe you yisterd rd “Yes; but you ought to read Kipling.” betther put’a bit av abtaffin fa teday.” sire eis say sate comicbooks.com