Judge, 1899-02-11 · page 16 of 16
Judge — February 11, 1899 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**Top cartoon ("An Unnecessary Proceeding"):** Two working-class men examine stolen socks. "Parkbench Pemberton" and "Twilight Thirstdrop" (names suggesting vagrants or derelicts) debate whether the socks were actually begged from a lady, with crude dialect suggesting they're discussing petty theft. The joke mocks both the absurdity of stealing socks and the characters' street-level desperation. **Bottom cartoon ("Not Even That"):** Mr. Waldorf Wemple presents an engagement ring to Sadie Johnson, claiming the stone "ain't no imitation." She responds skeptically that it's "s'pose aes wot it's intended for"—sarcastically suggesting the fake diamond is exactly what such a cheap suitor would give. The humor targets class pretension: a low-status man attempting to appear respectable through a false diamond engagement ring. Both use exaggerated dialect and caricature to satirize working-class and lower-class social aspirations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN UNNECESSARY PROCEEDING. ParksencH Pemperton— See dis be aie of sucks I begged fro from a lady. Twiuicht THutstrur—“ Begged 'e oly eat! W'ot do you think clothes-lines are for? You'll be beggin’ for NOT EVEN et Mr. WALDORF WEMPLE (presenting the dat stone ain't no imitashun COMMRONT 1890 BY ARK ELL PUBLISNING COMPARY OF NEW YORK. Sackett Withelms Litho & Pg Co Rew York ing the engagement ring)—"* An’ of a diamond, needer.” Sapte JOHNSON (critically)}—** 1 kin see dat, Mistah Wemple ; oy T s'pose aes wot it’s intended for, ain't it?” comicbooks.com