Judge, 1892-12-24 · page 4 of 18
Judge — December 24, 1892 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains Christmas-themed satirical humor typical of late-19th-century Judge magazine. The main cartoons mock domestic life and marriage: **"Life's Changes"** contrasts a man before and after marriage—formerly riding behind thoroughbreds, now pushing a baby carriage, suggesting loss of status and freedom. **"Your Wife at Christmas"** by James Jay O'Connell presents married life's contradictions: wives handle finances carelessly, demand expensive gifts (sealskin sacks), yet somehow manage dinner punctually. The satire suggests wives are simultaneously incompetent with money yet skilled manipulators who exploit husbands' desire to impress them—requiring them to dress as Santa Claus for children. **"A Mother's Love"** shows a boy's mother refusing to let him dine elsewhere, preferring he eat a "good square meal" at home—gentle mockery of maternal possessiveness. The page also includes philosophical "Sentences Passed by the Judge" (wisdom statements) and minor jokes. Overall, the humor reflects Victorian anxieties about marriage's constraints on male independence and wives' spending habits.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE’S CHANGES. BEHIND his team of thoroughbreds He sat before his marriage. But things are different now — he walks Behind a baby-cartiage. COMPOSITE PHOTOGRAPH OF NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. YOUR WIFE AT CHRISTMAS.” (% a vA\ HE finds all business matters new, To her finance is strange ; A hundred-dollar bill or two She calls a little change. nh Each day the dinner is on time, No word she answers back ; She shows that she can act sublime ‘To get a sealskin sacque. m1. Although her taste you'd not deny, You must admit it mars ‘The season's joy to have her buy You neckties and cigars. Ww. She makes you drink of sorrow’s cup To gain the kid’s applause ; For now she likes to rig you up To look like Santa Claus, Though ready for the yearly strike, A MOTHER'S LOVE, ix It hits you rather funny ; Mrs. von BLuMER—"' Willie, did you ask your mother if you could come over and take your Christmas : ‘ ELS ot dinner with us?” She! weats'to know frst: what you'd’ like, WILLIE SLIMson —“* Yes'm, but she didn’t seem to favor the idea.” Then asks you for the money. Mrs. von BLUMER —" What did she say about it?” JAMES JAY O'CONNELL. WILLIE SLiMson —'* She said she thought she would rather have me stay at home and’get a good square meal.” SENTENCES PASSED BY THE JUDGE. HE. manner of giving is the gift. Gifts should be a matter of in- spiration and not of calculation, Experience is the most costly and the most indispensable thing. Aman requires a vast amount of Space in proportion to his size. The faithful disciples of the holy prophet will respect the crumbs on his beard. A full stocking has ceased to be proof of the approximate presence of the children’s saint. There is nothing which man is born into the world so destitute of as habit, or which he so amply and so soon acquires. Tt is perhaps inevitable that the human builder of plans and sounder of purposes should measure the infinite with a two-foot rule. Lost things find themselves and stray beasts return, but the mysterious delights which time hath stolen from FEATHERED CHIPS. cue Mocking bere. is 00 “Put up a pullet, Razberry ; yo’ ain’ anted yit.”” XATHRIXE GROSJEAN. comicbooks.com