Judge — December 28, 1901 — page 38: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This three-panel comic depicts two working-class boys ("Tommy Turnnurt" and "Alcy Goopsor") with their dogs near a fence. The humor relies on dialect comedy popular in late 19th-century American humor. In panel 1, Tommy proposes swapping dogs. Alcy refuses, claiming his mother won't allow it. Panel 2 shows the dogs fighting or tangling together. Panel 3 reveals Tommy's changed mind: he now refuses to swap. **The satirical point:** The title "Delays Are Dangerous" suggests the moral lesson—Alcy's initial hesitation (delay in accepting the swap) proved wise. By waiting, he avoided the disastrous fight that occurred, which would have resulted in a worse-condition dog. The cartoon mocks the impulsive nature of children while endorsing caution and parental wisdom. The crude dialect and working-class setting were typical Judge magazine fare, satirizing urban immigrant or lower-class speech patterns common to period American humor.