Judge, 1893-12-09 · page 29 of 52
Judge — December 9, 1893 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains three satirical pieces typical of early 20th-century American humor. **"Her Gift"** mocks a fiancée (Eve Prettyone) who offers herself as a Christmas present after her wealthy suitor complains he has everything material. The joke satirizes both excessive consumerism and romantic sentimentality. **"Humble Pie"** briefly ridicules a child's pride—a boy steals cake but won't admit hunger at dinner, forcing his mother to serve humble pie (a phrase meaning forced apology/humiliation). **"Books for Christmas"** is a satirical gift-matching list pairing occupations with ironically unsuitable books—a juryman gets philosophy, a gossipy person gets Hawthorne's tales, etc. The humor lies in mismatched expectations. **"An Elopement in High Life in Central Africa"** (bottom illustrations) appears to depict animals in human situations—likely mocking contemporary fascination with African expeditions and "primitive" stereotypes through absurdist animal caricature. The page emphasizes Judge's focus: mocking consumer culture, social pretension, and contemporary obsessions through witty wordplay and exaggerated drawings.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(qt i Eve Prertyone (fo her fiancé) —** Ob, how do you do, Harry? Come in. — HER GIFT. te PRAY, give me something new for Christmas day. I have more scarfs than I can ever wear; For slippers, let me say, I do not care. ‘Though a good book is never in the way Thave no time for reading. Give me, pray, No more cigars; I have cigars to spare. Give me no fountain-pens—they make me swear ; No knives before my tortured eyes display.” Ah, pretty Stella overheard my plaint, And knowing well I loved her, blushing, “low very deep, it seems, is your despair. Your troubles, sure, would aggravate a saint, And so I think "—and here she bowed her head— **1'l give you just myself; so take me. There!" NATHAN M, LEVY. HUMBLE PIE, Brown—" Johnnie said he wouldn't have had you see him steal the cake for anything.” Mrs. Bro because he sulked at dinner-time and didn’t want to admit that he was hungry.” NEW LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT. Qe —T'll turn up the gas, — Sy ¢ Harry (five second: later)—"" There, dear! 1 have a match.” —There! it’s out. How silly !" BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS. FOR the juryman—Addison's “ Spectator.” The gossip Hawthorne's “Twice - told Tales.” The ‘bus-driver—Doran’s “Annals of the Stage.” The street gas-lighter—Ruskin's “Seven Lamps.” ‘The humorist—Burton’s “Anatomy of Mel- ancholy.” The silent man—Landor’s “* Imaginary Con- versations.” The dude — Abercrombie’s Philosophy.” ‘The hasty man ond Thoughts.” The egg-dealer—Macaulay’s “The Lays of Ancient Rome.” The ushe of the (Ajisles.”” The candlestick-maker — Edwin Arnold's “The Light of the World.” “Intellectual Rhoda Broughton’s “ Sec- Sir Walter Scott's “The Lord AN ELOPEMENT IN HIGH LIFE IN CENTRAL AFRICA, comicbooks.com