Judge, 1901-06-22 · page 10 of 16
Judge — June 22, 1901 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page collects brief comedic sketches and poems satirizing various social situations: **"English in Germany"** mocks Germans' awkward English and railway signs with comically literal translations, while noting the irony of a self-proclaimed English professor who speaks grammatically broken English. **Other sketches** play on domestic misunderstandings (a man blaming his wife for a missing shoehorn; a gardener planting seeds in dry soil expecting water retention) and romantic timidity (a man too cowardly to propose or decline marriage). **"Not Up to the Mark"** satirizes magazine editors' preference for deliberately obscure poetry over clear writing—reversing readers' presumed expectations that editors want accessible content. The cartoons employ period stereotypes (Germans, rural/working-class figures) and rely on puns and linguistic confusion typical of Edwardian humor. The tone is lighthearted rather than cutting, focusing on everyday social embarrassments rather than political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DE COY DUCK. ENGLISH IN GERMANY. ERMAN signs literally translated are always funny. Here is one that is in all German railway trains: “The Out leaning of the Body out of the Win- dow is on account of the therewith boundup Life danger most strictly forbidden.” It is embarrassing to ask a question in your best German and be answered in English, but sometimes one has one’s revenge. For instance, one gentleman said, “ I am professor of English in the uni that is why I speak well; but I didn’t been in England already once yet.” BITTER-SWEET. Ted —" That girl of mine has the germ fad and won't even eat ice-cream,’ Ned —" You're in luck Ted — But she doesn’t stop there. She UNcLe SiLas —"* Be this here a cable-car?" —** Coiten’y, can't yer see ?” INVERTEBRATE. - E LOVED a pretty girl; she was In love with him, too, I suppose ; He did not marry her, because He had not courage to propose. ‘There was another gi As clinging as an He had to marry her, because He had not courage to decline. A TIGHT FIT. Mrs, Cobwigger —* Whenever you mislay anything you blame me. What in the world would I do with your shochorn 2” . Cobwigger —1 don't see how else you could get into that bathing suit you wear.” HE TOOK IT FOR LEAKS. Tite, AMATEUR GAKDENER—" My garden is getting awfully dry.” Tue ustorisr—"* How do you expect it to hold water when you planted deeds in it.” HE WANTED TO CABLE, A NEW RECIPE, Ye maidens who hopefully carry The wedding-cake with you to sleep, In hope that the man you're to marry May give you, while dreaming, a Don’t bury it under your pillow, Nor under your curls—I repeat it ; If you would have visions and fancies. Don't sleep on the morsel—but eat it! ‘ALOYSIUS COLL. NOT UP TO THE MARK. Magazine editor —" Haven't you got a poem to go on this page ?” Assistant —“ Here's one that I don’t quite get the meaning of, but I suppose many of our readers will understand it.” Magazine editor —* That won't do. 1 want something that will puzzle every- body.” ie SWATS 1L.As —" Well, mister, how much wud it cost ter send an’ tell my darter Mandy what's in Londun thet sister Mary hez got a little boy?” comicbooks.com