Judge, 1899-02-18 · page 3 of 16
Judge — February 18, 1899 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis of Judge Magazine Page, 1890 This St. Valentine's Day themed page contains several satirical pieces typical of 1890s humor: **"A Good Reason Why"** mocks a woman's mosquito-bitten legs, suggesting she wore short skirts—a scandalous fashion choice for the era. **"The Spider and the Fly"** uses a brief dialogue joke: when asked if a Wall Street gambler is a "financier," the response is "He's the fellow who takes the bets"—satirizing stock market speculation as mere gambling. **"An Old Valentine"** and **"Evidently a Parvenu"** appear to be romantic/domestic humor pieces typical of Valentine's Day content. The main illustration shows two women in period dress engaged in conversation, likely illustrating one of these satirical scenarios. The overall page combines romantic holiday sentiment with social commentary on contemporary fashion, finance, and class distinctions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A GOOD REASON WHY. LITTLE SALLIE'S socks were very short and left exposed a goodly portion of her infantile, mosquito-bitten legs. She sat demurely on a chair with her feet hanging dangling down, airing her best company man- ners, when the big collie pup came in. Secing in her knees a delectable morsel he began to caress them playfully with his young white teeth. Sallie shrank from him, struggled to draw up her brief socks, and explained, “Tdon't like your dog very much because, you see, I've got my low- necked stockings on !” TEnRi ve STAG WS, SAINT VALENTINE'S DAY, 1899. * TIS now that “* hearts” and *’ Cupid's darts * Are wedded in sweet rhyme together, And secret loves find carrier-doves For messengers, despite the weather. Saint Valentine ! in ‘ninety-ni You know your Wall street, just as we do: Grant that it may but prove the way To “love in a cottage "—at Tuxedo! NEEDED HASTY TREATMENT. Dorothy (noticing with great distress a rip in her doll, whence the sawdust was spilling out)—“ Oh, mamma, please do something quick ! Dolly ’s just sawdusting herself to death.” THE SPIDER AND THE FLY. Freddie —" \{ a gambler is a man who bets in Wall street, what is a finan * Cobwigyer—" He's the fellow who ta ‘es the bets.” AN OLD VALENTINE. FOUND it ina bible old ‘One winter evening in the dusk, Between a linen kerchief laid Still sweet with lavender and musk. ‘The moon was rising o'er the trees ‘And glimmered on a golden line years had never cared to dim “Ob, come and be my valentine. As if the dead perfumes she used Could conjure up the past again, I saw a maiden quaintly clad In buckled shoes and silken train. A lover in a velvet coat ‘And powdered hair and laces fine Was pleading softly in her ear, “Oh, come and be my valentine.” But ere the fever of the spring The roses withered on her lips; Was tingling in the frozen root, Her back was bent, her locks were Tn continental buff and blue white. He joined the ranks, a young recruit. She knitted stockings all day long The grapes were watered with his blood And read her bible every night. Along the banks of Brandywine. But ere she slept she took it out She wept above the gilded words: ‘And read again the simple sign “Oh, come and be my valentine. That kept the lamp of faith aligh “Oh, come and be my valentine.” Her name is scarce remembered now (Twas Betty, savs the bible old Upon a torn and yellow leaf That time has touched with tears and mould). Her very grave has ceased to be ; But to a land of love divine I like to think that long ago She went to be his valentine. siwwa tevinc. EVIDENTLY A PARVENU. Is his family an old one?" Dear me, no! Why, he couldn't even get a commission as major-general in the last war.” comicbooks.com