Judge — December 16, 1899 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This six-panel comic satirizes colonial-era encounters in what appears to be India or similar British colonial territory. The recurring phrase "while the coffee boils" frames a series of humorous misunderstandings. The narrative features Miss Anna Con (depicted as a snake—a pun on "anaconda"), an English hunter, and Mr. Alle Gates, each planning to capture or seduce the others during a brief moment. The joke operates on dramatic irony: while each character schemes in isolation, they remain unaware of the others' simultaneous plans. The satire appears to mock the colonial attitude of casual conquest—treating encounters with both wildlife and local inhabitants as opportunities for sport or romance during leisure time. The repetitive "while the coffee boils" emphasizes how trivial these dramatic confrontations are framed as being—mere amusement to pass the time.