Judge, 1901-06-22 · page 8 of 16
Judge — June 22, 1901 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This Judge magazine page uses playing cards and card games as a metaphor for life itself. The central cartoon by artist Zim shows scattered cards with various illustrations—some depicting chaotic scenes, some showing fortune-seekers or gamblers. The accompanying verses compare card games (euchre, bridge whist, pinochle, poker) to life's broader contests, suggesting they operate by identical principles. The message is moralistic: regardless of the game or circumstances, "real values stand / Upon the way you play your hand"—meaning one's character and choices matter more than luck or circumstances. The "Is it a diamond?" question (referencing the card suit) appears to question whether success or fortune is genuine value or mere illusion. This reflects early-20th-century American anxiety about wealth, luck, and merit during a period of rapid social change and economic flux.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
© 1S IT A DIAMOND? | JUDGE READS 4 Playing at cards, and at life’s game, Euchre, bridge whist, pinochle, poker, is much the same. ! In theory is mui With or without the little joker,— From what is pictured here by Zim, It's all alike : real values stand Tt seems the same idea struck him, Upon the way you play your hand. comicbooks.com