Judge, 1898-10-01 · page 5 of 16
Judge — October 1, 1898 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple brief satirical vignettes typical of Judge magazine's humor. **"Breaking About Even":** A dark joke about a man (Rosenbaum, likely a Jewish name suggesting ethnic humor common to the era) who loses his expensive horse and his mother-in-law dies in the same accident. The punchline—that he considers it "breaking even" because the horse was expensive but the mother-in-law's death is a benefit—relies on the anti-mother-in-law trope and plays on financial accounting language for grim comic effect. **"War and Whittling":** References post-war (likely Spanish-American War) rural America, where the excitement has faded so completely that even pocket-knife whittling—a pastime—has disappeared from store gatherings. **Other sections** include predictable humor about engagements, gender relations, and marriage miscommunication. The bottom cartoon satirizes newlyweds' disconnection. The overall page reflects turn-of-century American humor: ethnic stereotyping, anti-feminist jokes about women's independence, and domestic comedy centered on misunderstanding between spouses.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
BREAKING ABOUT EVEN. «+ ] UNDERSTAND that Mr. Rosenbaum’s twenty-five-hundred- dollar mare ran away, broke her leg, and had to be shot,” said the new reporter to Mr. Rosenbaum’s business partner. “ Yes," answered the partner dryly. “And that his mother-in-law, who was in the car-* riage at the time, was thrown out and seriously in- jured?” “Yes; she died an hour afterward.” “What! dead? Dear me! I suppose Mr. Rosenbaum is all broke up about it?” “Vell, no; Mr. Rosenbaum seems to be almost reconciled. Of course he vishes it vas a cheaper horse; but, den, he t'inks dot, everyting considered, he broke about even.” WAR AND WHITTLING,. ++ | SUPPOSE,” said the coffee drum- mer, “that the excitement over the war has all died out, even in this rather backward neck of the woods ?”” “Oh, yes,” replied. the grocer of Basswood corners. “Lots of the men don’t even bring their pocket-knives with them any more when they come to the store evenings.” HIS LAST ENGAGEMENT. + *GHOT through the heart was Private Jones: ‘The path was steep and narrow "— Nay, reader, do not shed a tear; ‘The shot was Cupid's arrow. HIS SUPERIOR POINT. she— At last 1 acknowledge man’s superiority, 1 am cured of my independent notions and wi.l marry you whenever you wish.” He—" My own darling! The woman's clubs have left you un- corrupted. The test of the nineteenth century has left you un- SAT ON ’EM HARD. F scathed. ++ TWO hundred years ago,” said the high-born hidalgo, “the sun never set on Spanish possessions.” “That's true,” replied the returned naval officer; “ but other countries have since then.” REMEMBERING IIIS CAT-ECHISM. * For what I am about to receive, oh Lord, make me truly thankful.” She— Yes, it may be that. I don’t deny that it is, But what did the work was the masterly way in which a man applies the collar- button to the band.” WHAT CAUSED THE FIRST COOLNESS, Mx. Nawiywep (reading)—'* Nobody ever yet saw a dead mule” i Mus, NuWLYWED (who 1s Chinking of something tlig and uot lstening)—"* Don't you think your life-insurance premiums are a waste of money, John?” comicbooks.com