Judge — September 26, 1896 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a three-panel comic strip titled "Judge" depicting an elderly man (labeled "Grandpa Abe") attempting to catch a mule. The mule repeatedly outwits him by hiding under a cart, prompting Grandpa's increasingly frustrated commentary in dialect. The humor relies on the mule's apparent intelligence—it "understands" when to hide to avoid being hit ("lammed"). The title "A Sagacious Animal" plays on this reversal, suggesting the animal is smarter than the man pursuing it. The dialect and rural setting suggest this targets early 20th-century American rural culture. Without additional context, the specific political satire remains unclear, though it may comment on stubbornness, foolishness, or the futility of human endeavors against nature.