Judge, 1896-12-26 · page 4 of 17
Judge — December 26, 1896 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Political Satire Analysis: Judge Magazine Page 432 This page satirizes the "New Woman" of the 1890s—the emerging independent female who challenged Victorian gender roles. The main cartoon mocks a progressive mother who purchases traditionally masculine gifts for her children: tin soldiers, rifles, and boxing gloves for daughters named after male historical figures (Bonaparte, Martha Washington, Daniel Webster, John Paul Jones); and a French doll for her son. The joke targets the inversion of gender norms—the satire suggests that feminism has gone absurd, producing confused children with gender-inappropriate presents. The accompanying text reveals Judge's conservative stance: the purchases are presented as ridiculous overcompensation, implying that "New Women" are misguided radicals corrupting childhood. The other cartoons ("Perfect Arithmetic," "Excusable") are minor social comedy pieces about Jewish immigrants and racial violence, typical of Judge's broader satirical approach to contemporary American life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Copyright by J. Schloss. JUDGE'S FAVORITES. MARIE MALTON. It wasa matter of regret to me ‘That you and Hammerstein could not agree, Because { loved Olympia to visit And hear you in that role of yours—what és it?— In“ Santa Maria.” What the play's about, Tdon’t know. But I miss you, now you're out. THE NEW WOMAN'S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. MBS. SEWWOMAN had come home from work on Christmas eve, tired but cheerful, her arms laden with bundles, and followed by two strong portresses similarly burdened, Her husband had greeted her at the door with a little husbandly kiss and now, in a flutter of feverish anticipation, waited for the unwrapping of the various bundles and the sorting and labeling of the Christmas gifts therein, previous to their disposal upon the Christmas-tree for the critical delectation of the children upon the morrow. * Did you buy Ethel the tin soldiers and the brass cannon?” he cried eagerly, as she began to untie the first parcel. " answered Mrs, Newwoman, briskly, “and also this flobert rifle, this sling-shot, this jackknife, and this base-ball bat—of course she can't use the bat now, but it was marked down to twenty-four cents, so 1 bought is.” uape “And what did you get for little Bonaparte—what did you get for him ?" he asked next. “Oh, for little * Bony * I purchased this lovely French doll—the very one you spoke about. Just see how it rolls its eyes and moves its arms and almost seems to speak! Napoleon will surely go into ecstasies over its exquisite lingerie—he will dress and undress it to his Leart’s content. For Martha Washington I bought this double-ripper sled - not handsome, you will say—but strong and durable, and just what a girl like her needs who has a penchant for coasting into telegraph-poles, coal-teams, trolley-cars and freight-trains. For Annabelle I bought the skates and golf- suit, the book on African adventure, the boxing-gloves, punching-bag, foot-ball and rowing-machine, For Daniel Webster, the dear ‘ittle tootsie-wootsie, I bought this min- iature cooking-stove—you can actually cook with it, too— this set of dinner-dishes, this little dinner-table, cute little broom and coal-hod. Danny will be delighted with it—the sweet little housekeeper. For Thomas Paine I purchased this gilt enameled prayer-book, this * Mother Goose’s Melo- dies’, and ‘ Tales of Sindbad the Sailor’; he is such a critical student, and so devout, you know. For John Paul Jones this lovely celluloid toilet-set, hair, tooth- and nail- brushes, powder-puffs, cologne-bottles ; all the little things that so fastidious a boy demands.” WaT il) il NAL ul it RACHEL ROSENBAUM (studying her arithmetic lesson)—"* Ten plus five makes fifteen, ten plus six makes sixteen, ten minus five makes five, ten minus six makes four.” MR. Rosenpauat (ecstatically)—""Ach ! docs simbly berfect. You make somedings any vay you handle it.” BOOK NOTES. All-my-neck for 1897 EXCUSABLE. Parson Goopstan (of Boston)—"* Do you mean to tell me that you assisted at the lynching of Broxco Pere (apologeticalls)—* But you must bear in mind it wuz my own mule that he stole.” your own brother?” “And what,” her husband asked at last with an anxious sigh, “ what have you bought for our eldest child ?” “Oh, for Alice Gertrude I simply bought a cane, a cheap scarf-pin, and a box of cigars. I will write an order for a plug-hat and put it in the cigar- box along with a twenty-dollar bill, I know she will go off and get drunk with the money, and smash the hat and give away the cigars and lose the cane and pin; but young women will be young women, and she’s got to sow her wild oats sometime, I suppose.” And so, haviag happily verified the tabulated list of presents and disposed them to the best advantage upon the tree, and put fresh coal upon the fire and turned down the gas and let in the family cat, Mrs. and Mr. Newwoman sought their virtuous couch. CHARLES ¥. wast. THE stupid dude is improved most when a clever girl gives him a piece of her mind, comicbooks.com