Judge — September 16, 1899 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This two-panel cartoon uses Irish working-class characters ("Big Mike" and "Little Mickie," identified by their dialect and names) to illustrate a practical problem-solving lesson. Both men carry a heavy pole supporting a sign for "Black Tan Asphalt Co." **The joke**: In panel one, Big Mike suggests shifting the pole to their shoulders rather than carrying it by hand. In panel two, Little Mickie agrees it's "much easier," crediting the insight as a clever discovery. **The satire's point**: The cartoon mocks how people often overlook simple solutions to everyday problems. By using working-class Irish laborers as the characters, *Judge* (a satirical magazine) creates gentle humor about practical intelligence versus overthinking. The "think" in the title refers to using one's mind—suggesting that thoughtful consideration can reduce physical burden, a message likely aimed at the magazine's educated, middle-class readership.