Judge, 1896-12-19 · page 22 of 46
Judge — December 19, 1896 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains four separate comic sketches with Christmas themes: **"Christmas Judge"** (top): A man with a dog and well-dressed woman. The dog's caption—wishing it could speak while humans remain "dumb"—is a typical Victorian joke about animal superiority to human folly. **"A Little Lift"**: Two newly-graduated doctors discuss practice. One has secured a position as physician to a department store during the Christmas shopping season—satirizing how commercial establishments hired medical staff for the crowds. **"A Clincher"**: A child (Freddie) exposes the logical contradiction in his mother's Christmas rules: if Santa brings presents, why can't he watch for the delivery wagon? The joke mocks parental explanations that don't hold up to children's logic. **"Bungtown Christmas Tableau"** (three panels): A theater manager announces grand tableaux between acts. The final panels humorously show backstage chaos (a father's coattails caught in the curtain) versus the polished appearance to the audience—satirizing theater production fakery. All are gentle Victorian-era humor about Christmas, medicine, parenting, and theater.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Christmas Judge MYSTIFYING PROVIDENCE, Hector, THE DoG—"‘And to think ¢hat was created to speak and I to remain dumb !” A LITTLE LIFT. +4GOT much practice yet?" said one newly-graduated physician to another. A CLINCHER. Mrs. Cobwigger—" You are to ask only one more question the whole evening.” Freddie— Then, ma, if Santa Claus really brings the presents why am I not to look out of the window if an express-wagon drives up to the door ?” “haven't worked up much regular practice,” was the latter's reply, “but [have been appointed physician and surgeon to a big department. store for the Christmas-shopping season.” THe CURTAIN. ANNOUNCEMENT, Manacer—'* Ladies an’ gents, after each act we give a grand an’ floricus tableau, We will have to ask PREPARATIONS BEHIND THE SCENES. AS JT LOOKED TO THE AUDIENCE. you to be patient for a few minutes Proup PaRENT—"*All ready! Turn the crank, Oscar. The proud parent gets his coat-tails wound up wile preparations are goin’ on, The fe lively, now ; we've got just the right positions.” in the curtain, and te eat creates greater ap- first tableau represents a artistic an use than was ex; pathetic scene of the proud father . * spurnin’ the wayward darter on her return home Christmas mornin’.” comicbooks.com