Judge, 1897-07-03 · page 4 of 16
Judge — July 3, 1897 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Judge Magazine Satire Analysis This page from Judge contains several moral tales and jokes typical of late 19th-century American satire: **"A True Story with a Moral"** (main feature): Jim Russle loses a county treasurer nomination despite tireless campaigning. A farmer refuses to support him *because* he drove 15 miles through mud in three hours—proving he's too energetic and efficient to be trusted with public money. The satire mocks both rural suspicion of go-getters and the corruption of local politics, where diligence is actually a liability. **Other items** include light social humor: a cowboy asking a hotel clerk for "tangle-foot" (slang for whiskey) at a non-saloon establishment; a joke about St. Louis calling Chicago the "capital of Greece"; and domestic squabbles about women adopting bloomers, dogs, and cigarettes. The cartoons use exaggerated rural dialect and working-class characters to poke fun at American social pretensions and political incompetence during the Gilded Age.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
wudge A TRUE STORY WITH A MORAL, Jim RUSSLE wanted the nomination for county treasurer in Beggs county last fall, and his success was conceded by those who knew him. He was as energetic as a tug-boat and as tireless as a mule. The cther candidates lay down and groaned when they heard he had entered the lists. But he failed to reach the goal. One day he drove fifteen miles through a pouring rain, over roads hub-deep with mud, to see a man—a farmer of considerable influence. The farmer received him coolly. “So ye drove through that mud in three hours, did ye?” he inquired. “I did,” replied Russle. The farmer pondered a few moments. “I s'pose ye want the delega- tion from this town?” “Ido.” “Well, my boy, I'm afraid ye can't have it. You was solid with me up to a few minutes ago, but, by thunder! a man who can drive fifteen miles over such infernal roads FAVORITES, in three hours wouldn't be a safe man to trust with the county money ; he'd be too hard to catch.” Shortly after this the other candidates took courage, and Jim was de- feated overwhelmingly. Moral— Don’t hustle too hard. DAVID M, TALMADER, AT ASBURY PARK. Cowboy—" Say, young feller; trot out your tangle-foot!” Hotel clerk (in disgust) —"This isn’t a drug- store.” GOATS, BEWARE! i f EACH Fourth you need a warning, Nan, "Gainst juvenile attackers : Don't chew the old tomato-can, Lest some fun-loving little man Has stuffed it full of crackers. DIDN'T WANT TO MISS ANYTHING. Barner —"* Bay rum, sir?” Farmer GeanaLt—' Don't keer ef Ido? Jest a sup er so.” JupG VIRGINIA EARLE, Of, hidden laughter in demureness lies, And’ mirthful spirits flash from pensive eyes ; Behind the frolic of a playful line The brilliance of an artist soul may shine. And certain moods of thine, exquisite girl, Recall a tear-drop charmed into a pearl. FITTING TEXT TO FACT. Ragged Robbie— Now dat ye're out o' de workhouse, Willie, why are ye like salvation ?* Woozy Willie — Guess it’s be- cause I'm seeking de rich an’ dey \ won't receive me.” eN A fa nA ‘ Ragged Robbie—" Vat ain't so many yards from de bull’s- eye, but de proper Sun- day-school answer is, “cause ye're free an’ widout price.’ INFORMATION. separa, what is a ATHENS OF LARD. Schoot-teacher (in St. Louis)—* What is the capital of Greece?” Pupils (in chorus)—“ Chicago !” seoend: ioe? HIS FIRST TANDEM. re st . 08? “Hey, M'riar ! come ez quick ez ever yu’ kin Why—er—sau- an’ see th’ two-headed freak a-comin’ down th’ hill sage, my son.” on a bi-sickle !” THE LAST STRAW. Acciz—“ Em'ly, what's the matter with you and Hattie—don't you speak no more?" BED-SPRINGS IN IIS SHOES. Em'Ly— ‘I'll tell yer. _ First she took to bloomers—that was all right ; then she Sam Jonsing would have been declared champion high sported a dog an’ a walkin’-stick—them was all right too ; but when she took to cigaroots jumper of the day, had not an unfortunate accident revealed an’ begun a-blowin’ smoke through her nostrums, a-makin’ her face look like a loco. the secret of his success, motion-ingine, staf settled it, an” we meet as strangers!" comicbooks.com