Judge, 1896-06-20 · page 7 of 22
Judge — June 20, 1896 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple satirical pieces reflecting late-19th/early-20th century American concerns: **"A Prodigy"** mocks nouveau riche Jewish immigrants through stereotyped dialect, depicting a man so eager to show off his gold watch that he endangers his baby with testing acid—satirizing both materialism and parental negligence. **"Two from Cripple Creek"** references the Colorado mining boom, satirizing get-rich-quick schemes where miners demand cash ("wad") over mere stock options from investors. **"Nothing Against Him"** features two vagrants (Weary Willie and Flowery Fields, stock characters in period humor) joking that their peer Raggles isn't truly one of them because he tells the truth—implying honesty is uncommon among their class. **"A Lay of a Laugh"** is a sentimental poem about a woman's infectious laughter triggering memories of a lost love, representing the magazine's lighter romantic content. The page blends ethnic caricature, mining-era satire, class commentary, and sentimentalism typical of Judge's editorial mix.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ent iW ! Salo y A PRODIGY. Hockneimer (enthusiastically)—"* Kervick, Rachel, or you'll miss der sight ohf your life !" Racue (Aastening)—"* Vat is id?” HockHeimex —""T shoost took oudt mein gold vatch to amoose der baby, und so helb me Moses ohf he ain'd reajching for mein testing-acid !" TWO FROM CRIPPLE CREEK. .: b A LAY OF A LAUGH. WELL-DRESSED, carefully - groomed investor ascends a steep hill to inspect a mine. The owner of the prospect is wind- lassing a bucket of ore when the stranger heaves in sight. “ What are you looking for?" queries in loud voice the miner. “Options, sir,” replies the gentleman. “Options be hanged!" shouts the miner. “ Produce your wad or get off the dump.” It was in a mining camp and the inbab- itants were a thrifty people. A great many urchins were loitering about the street, and intermingled with them were a few jackasses. The jacks had a forlorn expression, and to sate my curiosity I questioned a passer-by about the cause of their dejection, “You all seem to be kind to these little burros ?” "Yes, indeed ; they are our pets.” “Are they ever maltreated ?” “Oh, no! we all love them.” “Well, how is it they look so sad?" “T'lltell you, stranger; they are grieving “cause of the demonetization of silver.” NOTHING AGAINST HIM, Weary WILLIE—"* W'y do you t'ink ole Raggles ain't one of us?” FLowery Fieips —"* 'Canse he always tells de truth.’ ERE Lam, perched at my open casement, Enjoying the laugh of some unseen miss, ‘That comes rippling up from a room in the basement ‘Just below this. Morning. noon and night I can hear her Babbling away with her chatter and chaff, And it seems as if all creation near her Was just one laugh. Picture her ! Isn't her face just made for it? Crinkled and curved for the laughing fit. Could she be solemn, do you think, if paid for it? Devil a bit! I can fancy the dimples her cheeks imprinting, ‘And see the mouth.corners upward run T can catch her eyes with the frolic glinting— Brimful of fun. She must be pretty to laugh so prettily— Such a laugh couldn't belong to a frump! Humorous, too, to see things wittily— Probably plump * There—now she's off again! Peal upon peal of it! Clear as a carillon, soft as a bell! Why, it’s infectious !” I'm catching the feel of it! Chuckling as well ! What—was [ dreaming? That musical melody ‘Trips up the scale arpeggio! So like—a voice that was hushed—ah ! well-a-day— Long, long ago! Heigh-ho! To think of what little straws tickle us ! Just a girl's laugh—and my laughing one lies Silent, and [—well now this is ridiculous— ears in my eyes! GHONGE WEWELL LovRjoY. Weary WitLiz—" Oh, shucks! dat's nutt'n against him ; he tells de truth ‘cause he’s too lazy to t'ink up lies—dat’s all.” : . | comicbooks.com |