Judge, 1895-11-02 · page 4 of 16
Judge — November 2, 1895 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Page Analysis This page satirizes late-19th-century social anxieties and fads. The opening poems mock the bicycle craze—specifically women adopting practical "bloomers" (split skirts) to ride bicycles, which shocked Victorian sensibilities about female dress and mobility. "A Rain to Talk About" uses biblical humor: elderly Japheth bores people with nostalgic flood stories until they leave, satirizing tedious old-timers. "A Ballad of Now" is the page's centerpiece, mocking contemporary "crazes" and progressive movements: Ibsenism (modern drama), Tolstoy's philosophy, women's activism, artistic movements (Beardsley's decadent aesthetics), and "isms" generally. The refrain "the reign of freak and fad" dismisses these trends as passing obsessions rather than serious reform. The bottom cartoons about drunk sailors ("Half Seas Over") provide comedic relief. Overall, Judge presents itself as sensible observer mocking both radical reformers and old-fashioned relics, positioning readers as rational moderates.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
uae A PNEUMATIC ‘THOUGHT. WE TREAD an evolutionary age So full of strange and startling rumors! The last—this fast bicycle rage Is wheeling women into bloomers. sv. x. A RAIN.TO TALK ABOUT, ONCE when Japheth was a very old man it rained for several days in succession and people began to speak of the remarkable weather. “Oh, dear me!” said Japheth, “this is noth- ing to the downpour when I was young—when Shem, Ham and I went into papa’s ark. That "— But he stopped. There was none to listen, People always began to move off when Japheth began to speak of the flood. KILLED BY HAKD DRINK. A BALLADE OF NOW. HE. world, it seems, is full of woe And not a soul is satisfied, All sorts of cranks are on the go ‘And cut a swath that's very wide; All kinds of ‘isms are preached with pride, And only Satan seemeth glad ‘As he with laughter holds his side ; For now 's the reign of freak and fad, Photo. by Schtoss. JUDGE'S FAVORITES, ALICE HOLBROOK IN ‘THE CHIEFTAIN.” If in reality, as in the play, You were a bold brigandess, tourist-catching, You might with ease bring everything your way, ‘Simply by smiles, and by that dance so fetching. O fairest Alice, set at liberty? The list is very long—o-ho! ‘There's Artist Beardsley for a guide, And Ibsenism seems to grow, While Tolstot dare not be denied ; ‘The women want to ride astride, ‘And as for polities, egad, How they the precious hobby ride ! For now 's the reign of freak and fad. ‘And, once your captive, who could wish to be, | | | Hypnotic science gets a show, {\, And the wise doctors who descried (| ‘The germ in kisses now do know What modern fame is—fain I'd hide ~The fact that kisses are allied With bacilli and things as bad— The disbeliever woe betide ; For now 's the reign of freak and fad. 1’ ENVoI, HAPPY IGNORANCE OF LA’ ILE HIRSUTE JOLLY. l’rince, if as yet you have not tried ‘THE novs— An’ de wind went—Z-2-2-2-2 !" To ride a hobby as if mad Uncie Wavnack —"* Jest lissen ter them young whelps mock th’ Do so at once—no one will chide, wind! What won't they try ter immertate next ?* For now 's the reign of freak and fail i NATHAN. LRWY OLD Soaks (to himself’ steady (hic)" Port your helm ; = ——— —take (hic) sail, you land-lubberly fool ;—— —Capsized, by Jove !* —throw out (hic) anchor, —- HALF SEAS OVER. comicbooks.com