Judge, 1900-04-07 · page 5 of 16
Judge — April 7, 1900 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes wealthy socialites and their frivolous pursuits. Two figures observe "Mrs. Hadrocks" — a wealthy woman whose husband inherited money and appeared tubercular (the "promising cough" was ironic, as tuberculosis was a status marker among the rich). The joke's dark humor: young Hadrocks squandered his fortune on expensive hobbies like yachting and horses, losing both his wealth and his tuberculosis in the process. The satire mocks how the wealthy pursued luxurious but financially ruinous activities, and the absurdity of considering disease a social asset. The title "A Good Thing—Nit" suggests sarcasm—what initially seemed advantageous (his money and fashionable illness) proved worthless once spent on indulgent leisure.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PENRHYN STAN ws, A GOOD THING—NIT. Eriet—* There goes Mrs. Hadrocks. She married young Hadrocks. He had plenty of money and a promising cough.” Eprru— Yes; but he went in for yachting and horses and lost both his cough and his money.” comicbooks.com |