Judge, 1898-05-21 · page 6 of 16
Judge — May 21, 1898 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Main Story:** Poindexter, a shy man, receives daily telephone calls asking "Are you all right this morning?" He fantasizes that a woman caller is romantically interested in him, imagining her as mysterious and devoted. He plans to propose when finally alone to answer. His romantic bubble bursts when he picks up the phone to discover the caller is a telephone company operator—a man—performing routine line checks. The "sweet voice" was likely a different operator on previous calls. **The Satire:** This mocks both male vanity and the era's emerging telephone technology. The joke exploits early-1900s telephone novelty and social awkwardness, plus the irony that Poindexter's romantic fantasy was sustained by misidentification and his own projections. The accompanying illustrations of bicycles, vagrants, and society gossip are typical Judge filler content, unrelated to the main story.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—— SHATTERED cee HOPES. OINDEXTER was nota vain man. As a matter of fact there was nothing about him to be vain about; but I think | he would have become vain if the thing had gone on much longer. Ever since his telephone had been put in a sweet, fresh voice had come each day over the wire asking the question, “Are it you all right this morning?” Hil | Poindexter had grown to ex- q ) isu pect that voice and to love its xg) | } a owner. He had never seen her, / but he had often fancied just what she must look like. The delicate attention of inquiring after his health touched him. The query came at almost the same hour every day and betrayed a solici- tude which was most flattering to the shy Mr. Poindexter, who was afraid to look at a woman, “It is evidently a case of mutual at- traction,” thought Poindexter. “She has heard my voice from time to time and has woven around me.a web of romantic mystery, just as I have done about her. Her interest has gradually deepened into love, and now she cannot go about the duties of the day until she knows that I am well. I will wait until no one else happens to be in the room when she calls me to the telephone and then I will arrange a meeting and ask her to be my wife.” Full of this determination, Poindexter awaited a fitting opportunity, and at last it came. One morning, at the usual time, the telephone-bell rang. Poindexter glanced around. The room was empty. With a beating heart he grasped the receiver, hk | PAINFUL REBUFF: man of your evident strength and ability to work must meet with a great many painful rebuffs while begging.” Rosust kiccs—"' True, lady. I believe dat on account uv my unfortunit physical looks I git more offers uv jobs dan enny odder hobo along de line, mum.” put it to his ear, and said, “Well?” Instead of the sweet voice of his invisible love a harsh, masculine voice asked, “Hello! Is your telephone all right this morning ?” Poindexter fell back, pale and almost helpless, He grasped the back of a chair \ for support. Presently he \NN gained enough strength to ' grasp the receiver again and A REMARKABLE CARRY-ALL. to say through the transmit- ageglt Reames bicycle—a strange-looking contriv- Not so strange, when taken into consideration that the whole family love biking and all have accident-insurance policies, ter, “ Why did you inquire if my telephone was all right?” “ How can we tell if the line is in workin’ order if we don't, you chump?” came Back in the same harsh voice. “ Don’t the girl call you up every morning to find out?” WILLIAM HENRY SIVITER, ONE REASON. TUERE is one of many reasons Why summer is best of all— Tis the pride of all the seasons, For it goeth before a fall. THEIR WAY. Askins—" 1 wonder why it is that these actresses always look so young in their litho- graphs?” as BREE . niente ob een Hoxatio Haccerty—" Goin’ ter Chimmy Doolin’s comin'-out party 7” BETES YOUNG ge Has DEE PICS: Paricia MULKOOS lers don't have comin’-out parties.” ure taken, and when she is old Hokatio Haccerty—" Dey don't? Do yer t'ink de police-judge gives nuttin’ else but life-sentences ?” she does not depart from it.” comicbooks.com