Judge, 1897-12-18 · page 36 of 53
Judge — December 18, 1897 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1897 Judge comic strip satirizes the melodramatic "elopement" plot common to Victorian literature and theater. A young couple attempts to flee, presumably to elope against her father's wishes. The humor lies in the increasingly absurd obstacles and schemes: the father sleeping, arranging for interference, using a phonograph to record "agonizing tones" (likely fake distress calls), hiding "somebody in the well," and a bicycle-assisted escape. Each panel escalates the theatrical desperation. The final panel's caption "Fooled!" suggests the entire scheme backfires or fails—the father outwits them. The satire mocks both the predictable tropes of Victorian romance narratives and the elaborate, often ridiculous lengths characters go to in such stories. It's essentially a parody of romantic melodrama popular in contemporary theater and literature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Christmas Judge. **Quick! Your father sleeps."* “You fear he will overtake us before we get ‘He comes! Now use your most agonizing tothe church? I have arranged for that.” tones while the phonograph records them.” “Just trot along ; I'll be with you in a second.” “That ought to work.” “Somebody in the well.” “Tt is my daughter's voice !” “Courage, hold fast! Your father will save you.” Fooled ! THE ELOPEMENT. Comrmanr 1897 ay THE JUDGE PUBLISHING COMALHY OF NEW YORE comicbooks.com