Judge, 1894-09-01 · page 4 of 16
Judge — September 1, 1894 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces reflecting late 19th/early 20th-century American concerns: **"The Abolition of the Kiss"** mocks a New Jersey health board proposal to ban kissing to prevent disease transmission. The lengthy poem defends kissing as essential to human happiness, arguing that even major social problems (corruption, economic hardship) matter less than preserving romantic affection. It's satire against scientific overreach and puritanical health regulations. **"Couldn't Stand Prosperity"** depicts an African American woman (Sister Ruth) expressing anxiety about stability—her house is clean, her husband employed, money saved—yet she's miserable without problems to manage. This reflects period stereotypes about working-class life and contentment. **The comic strips** show domestic and rural scenes with working-class characters discussing everyday concerns, using dialect humor typical of Judge's comedic approach. The overall page satirizes both health authorities overstepping bounds and working-class anxieties about modern life, using exaggeration and period-appropriate humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN UNFORTUNATE MEETING. yf BOARDERS TAKEN WERE TERMS$ Dz PER weer, Sinas Wavenck IN THE crTy, Cutarrin—" Ta-ta, old boy : I'm off for Europe, you know.” Cuore. — °° Good-bye, old fel. I'll be over’ meself ina week or so.” ON THE FARM. fone am THE ABOLITION OF THE KISS. + +P)O YOU believe in the co-education of the sexes?” was asked of a Yale itive ceriain iwriin New Jisoey sha bend at Tenn pripowen io COMUNE, undergraduate. j to prevent the spread of disease. “Tcan’t say that I do,” was the reply. Girls take to rowing pretty well, "THE, Pretty itis of Kisseille are sad enough to-day, but you can see for yourself that they wouldn't be of much good on a base-ball What now to them is spring-time or the bounding tides of May, nine or a foot-ball team, ‘The sweet notes of the song-birds or the summer's dream of bliss, If cold and ruthless science shall obliterate the kiss? ‘The town might lose its beauty by hideous clouds of smoke, Its government be captured by a boss's master-stroke, The parks might go to ruin and gay parties cease a space, And yet the girls could laugh and smiles would wreathe each pretty face. ‘The cause of education might suffer sore defeat, ‘The pews in all the churches show many an empty scat, And ail woes might be suffered were they anything but this Which robs them and their lovers of the sweet nectareous kiss. ‘That storm which fell in Boston from the taxes put on tea Was a very righteous rumpus, as all histories agree ; But what is choicest Oolong, which a thirsty people sips, ‘To the gling touch or lightning of the osculating lips? = No sweet New Jersey maiden—blushing blonde or keen brunette— ANRIN ANS Is going back on kisses, you can confidently bet ; yp. SS N And if any rules ascetic in a health board gather sway ee" ‘Twill be healthier for shat board to get pretty far away. < ea If Adam kissed in Eden, as we verily believe, Without the least compunction the luscious lips of Eve, Was there anything more contagious or more dreadful there than this, ‘That he gave to all the world the sweet contagion of a kiss? And, after all your science, pray tell us why disease Shoulin't sweep us all away when there's nothing left to please? COULDN'T STAND PROSPERITY. The Jersey girls are right who think no cyclone ought to miss Pansow Jounson—"* You look worried, Sister Ruth, I trust yo! hab nothin’ on The rulers of a town who try to ostracize the kiss, youah mind." sTeR RuTH—"* Dat's jes’ it, pahson. Got mah house-cleanin’ all done, hens layin’ good, ole man got a job, an’ seben dollars in mah stockin’. Hain't got nuffin’ ‘all to worry ‘bout, an’ I'se puffec'ly misabul.”” let the sun cease shining, let the grass refuse to grow ; cease to pour its foaming water down below ; Let everything one longs for—almost—be the one he misses, Niag CONSIDERATION, )—"* Oi hov th (Excitedly)—"* Not on me bowld Irish honor I" (Thought fully) —"* Cam (Plank cracks.) wor roight. Cum over in pace. Dotan ann Frnneca’ roight av way. (togeth Git back wid yez! * think, Oi guess ye comicbooks.co