Judge — May 4, 1901 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a romantic/marital scenario typical of Judge magazine's social humor. A woman stands watching a man bent over, preparing to hit a golf ball near some reeds and a tree stump. The dialogue reads: **He:** "I'm going to birdie you!" **She:** "Going to save me? Well, you'll have to ask papa first." The humor relies on a double entendre: "birdie" (a golf term meaning one stroke under par) sounds like a term of endearment, while her response treats his statement as a marriage proposal—requiring parental permission, reflecting early 20th-century courtship conventions. The cartoon satirizes both the formality of marriage customs and the way sporting language can be playfully misinterpreted in romantic contexts.