Judge — December 3, 1892 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page contains two satirical cartoons using historical scenarios to comment on contemporary hypocrisy. **Top cartoon ("Excuse of Ye Past"):** References the 1689 Salem witch trials. A couple speaks in mock-colonial dialect about difficulty "getting the witch lighted up"—darkly joking that even supernatural evil takes effort. The satire likely criticizes how people invoke historical injustices to excuse present wrongs. **Bottom cartoon ("Exposed"):** Shows a social gathering where a woman is caught using cosmetic powder (likely face powder, a vanity product). Mr. King and Mr. Soritus express mock shock that "Miss Johnsing powders herself." The joke exposes the hypocrisy of Victorian society: people publicly condemn women's cosmetic use as immodest while privately accepting it. Both cartoons mock how society selectively applies moral judgment—condemning past cruelties or women's minor deceptions while ignoring contemporary double standards.