Judge, 1897-12-11 · page 7 of 19
Judge — December 11, 1897 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces typical of Judge magazine's social commentary: **"The Sick Lion" fable** (top) uses animal allegory to mock political opportunism. As a dying lion (representing a weakened authority figure) is attacked by formerly subordinate animals, even the cowardly donkey gains courage to strike—until the lion's final violent retaliation. The moral warns that power, though diminished, retains dangerous capability. This likely critiques how subordinates exploit weakness in leadership. **The remaining pieces** are brief comedic sketches exploiting ethnic stereotypes (Yiddish-speaking "Abie" and "Mr. Cohen"), class humor, and sentimental Victorian-era domestic situations. They rely on period conventions: Irish servants ("Norah"), working-class speech patterns, and gentle domestic comedy. The page reflects Judge's blend of political fable and lighthearted social satire, targeting both institutional power dynamics and class/ethnic caricature—humor common to early 20th-century American magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Sudge 877 JUDGE’S FABLES. THE SICK LION. LION had come to the end of his earthly sojourn and lay mortally ill with appen- dicitis. The animals, his subjects, came round him, and drew nearer as they made sure that they were seeing his finish. When positive on this point they unanimously resolved that, inasmuch as Leo had wiped ‘out scores of them, it was in order (considering his helpless condition) to wipe out a few scores on their own account, So the boar rushed and bored him; then the bull gored him with his horns. Still the lion lay helpless before them. So the donkey, feel- ing reassured from danger, came up and, turning tail, lashed out a swift hook with his heels at the lion's face; but this was too much for dying equanimity even, and the lion with a super-brutal effort fastened his teeth in the hind limbs of the confident ass with sufficient ardor to completely ham-string him, ejaculating simultaneously with his death-rattle, “ There's a little life in the old man yet.” RacoLes—** W'ot's de matter, Weary?” 3 Weary (dis lately)—** I'm t'inkin’ dat I'll hev ter be tin’ te Moral—A spark flares brightest Just before it goes out. ~ w.e com yearn gaunt (igromsrtately) —" Vea Vian da ey, ter. be emergvatin ter a) RAGGLES—" Great Scott! yer ain't tinkin’ erbout dyin’ ?” A WINTER ETCHING. THE snowflake is wildly fying Over the hill’s wood crest, And the lone vine ‘s dreamily sighing About the empty nest. ‘The crow in the gray sky 's cawing, The leaves in the raw gust spin, And the dog at the back-door ’s pawing Like thunder to get in, 2x, MUNKEFTRICK, THAT MUCH IS CERTAIN. Bloobumper —" Of whom was it written, ‘Home they brought her warrior dead?” . Spatts—"1 don't know; but. it couldn't have been written of a French duelist.” SUFFICIENT REASON. Bobby— \t God sends babies round why didn’t mamma pick out a prettier one?” ACHUMANITARIAN. Paul—‘Cause I s'pose she knew beggars, I, Mr. Conen—‘Are you sure, Abie, dot dot turtle you found ain'd der kind dot peoples kill shouldn't be choosers.”” und eat?” Apie—"* I'm sure, fader.” INTERESTED TO KNOW. Dorothy (hearing a man stutter) —" Mamma, what makes his mouth stumble so when he speaks ?” HEARD IN THE NIGHT. df EORGE?” “Yes, dear.” “Oh, what did you wake up for? I only wished to know if you were home.” HER CHOICE, Mistress —“ And what kind of entertainments do you most enjoy, Norah?” Norah (alter thinking a Circuses an’ fu- 11, So the next day gentle-hearted Mr. Cohen allowed the poor creature to escape. comicbooks.com