Judge, 1901-05-04 · page 6 of 11
Judge — May 4, 1901 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from the satirical magazine *Judge* contains several humorous vignettes reflecting turn-of-the-century American social attitudes: **"The Coming of May"** is a sentimental poem about encountering spring in the city—conventional romantic verse. **"Improving the Old Homestead"** mocks college-educated young men returning to farms. The joke: a boy home from college claims he's "improving" his father's farm by laying out golf links rather than doing actual agricultural work. This satirizes the perceived uselessness of higher education and the disconnect between educated youth and practical rural labor. **"Time's Revenges"** presents ironic comeuppance: a miserly father who forced his son to wear hand-me-down trousers is now humiliated when the grown boy towers five inches taller, rendering those old trousers comical. Social satire about stinginess. **"In the Van"** ridicules the Smith family as perpetually starting trendy disruptions. The punchline: their latest "progressive" move is simply hauling away household junk in a wagon—mocking status-seekers who adopt changes without substance. The remaining items are minor humorous sketches about everyday situations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE COMING OF MAY. OT on the happy country hills, With sportive breezes play- ing; Not where the springing vio- lets Betray her maiden way; But here, amid the dust ‘and din, I found the mischief stray- ing— Here in the city street I came Full face to face with May. No need for her to drop her head— I knew her in a minute. Her presence had been her- alded By little signs like these: A flower that a lover wore, That held a question in it, The sparrows’ twitter overhead, Green on the city trees. Only a look, a blush, a smile, No time for word or query, And yet my listless eyes grew bright, My drooping spirits gay. How can the heart go heavily, How can the feet be weary, When one has felt her smile, this sweet, Elusive maiden, May Cat un SAVED ‘FROM m’ wad an’ heresh m' watch, Ever so much ‘bliged. DD nyu \ ins ‘ 1 ann, \) \\\\8 WANTED TO LOOK RIGHT. Pic—" Mister, wait a minute; don't paint me yet. get washed,” No interest, dad ? MR. Latty inner (happening in unexpectedly and sising up the situation)—" S Drop round ‘gain some tim Til go home and IMPROVING THE OLD HOMESTEAD. Since yew got back frum college yew don’t seem to take no interest in the old farm.” Haven't I spent nearly two weeks laying out golf-links ?” IN THE VAN. THE Smiths are ever in the van, And always bent upon a plan The settled ways to disarrange And make some new and startling change. ‘The most surprising steps they take, And unexpected moves they make. Their neighbors rarely have a clue To what the Smiths have got in view; But one and all are quite agreed The Smiths progressive are, indeed. Now spring has come, and lo! behold, The facts are just as I have told— Here trot four horses, and behind A wagon piled with ev'ry kind Of household rubbish known to man— ‘The Smiths again are in the van! EDWIN L S.8IN, TIME’S REVENGES, MWessel—" Old Mr. Johnsonhammer is reaping the whirlwind in his old age Sinnott—"How is that?" He used to have his old trousers cut down and make his boy wear them, and now the boy is five inches taller than he it Un} ol’ man, heresh Ht Wy iii ps | Hy ms! ule aT, “ i} Hilf iy A PREFERENC JOEL WicGINS (tho owes the editor two years’ subscription) —* My boy Aleck wanted me to fetch this here poem up. ‘Thought mebbe ye'd like to run it in yer paper.” DiTOR—"* What's the poem about?” Wicciys: “bout * Lovin’ in Spring.’” What you got in your basket?” “Onions.” Hl, I'll take the onions.” O/4 Y, MW comicbooks.com