Judge, 1902-11-15 · page 6 of 16
Judge — November 15, 1902 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical vignettes typical of early 20th-century American humor: **"A Charm That Failed"** uses a racist stereotype—an elderly Black man ("Uncle 'Rastus") recounting a pre-Civil War anecdote about a voodoo doctor's failed spell. The humor relies on minstrelsy traditions and dialect humor common to the era. **"The Hall-Mark"** satirizes artistic pretension: a poet's work is deemed worthless, yet he succeeds commercially—suggesting the market rewards mediocrity over merit. **"Between Friends"** and related snippets mock social absurdities: ping-pong enthusiasm, a saleslady overselling novelties, and a society woman so busy tracking social obligations she's gone mad tracking reception-days. **"The Real Thing"** presents parents debating baby gifts, with the father darkly joking that any toy means parental suffering. The page reflects Judge's satirical focus on social pretension, commercialism, and domestic life, while containing period-typical racial caricatures that modern readers should recognize as offensive.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
UNCLE ‘Rastus tells this story of “befo' de wah.” His wife, Aunt ‘Mandy, had been sold “down de ribber,” and in his despair the old man sought the advice of a voodoo doctor, who gave him two bullets, with the instructions, “Drop one befo' de boat an‘ one behin' de boat, an’ de boat ain’ gwine ter be able ter IN LONDON. move.” . = SOYVELL,” said th "Rastus followed / W said the Rares \ dreamer, the formula implicitly. = : “there is no use in “How did it « : : Z ; Fj thinking forever of the work ?” said I. Did . Sy, YY ; misty past.” the boat stand still ?" \ ad BS } Accordingly, he “Lawd lub yer, came back to the fog- honey! dat boat done . sy present run faster dan ebber dat mornin’.” ‘ syou ought to call this the volcano cigar,” says the pa- tron, looking critical- ly at the cheroot. “Might be a good name,” assents the dealer. “You can bet it would. Why, all the survivors will be wanting to brag about how they escaped it.” : NOT ANXIOUS THE HALL-MARK, " ABOUT IT. Penn —"1 don't s¢ EW men are as see how you can call : 3 good as they Van Meter a genius. A ! : pretend to be.” His poems certainly Well, what ot do not show it.” ‘we a 2? Few men want Brushe—"No; ‘ y to be.” but the fact that he “sells them does.” v z Vi teALaED? Nurse (of insane- asylum) —"I_ can’t make out what ails BETWEEN: FRIENDS. that new patient, She Sue Perxins—'' Josh Medders wept awful when I refused him.” keeps screaming, eof ping-pong. Hersy Raixen—" Wuz ye peelin’ oniors or gratin’ horse-radish 2" * Mondays in January, first and third Thurs- But it is so very little,” objects the customer, “It looks like days, Sunday afternoons, second and fourth Wednesdays, Tuesday a toy. evenings in February,’ and things like that.” “It is quite popular,” declares the saleslady, “It is a miniature House-doctor—“ That's easy. She's a society woman trying to of the other game, and is especially designed to be played in a flat.” keep track of her friends’ reception-days.” IN ANOTHER FORM. ‘VES, ma’am,” says the saleslady ; “this is the new THE REAL THING. Mrs. NewLrweo—": What can we buy baby that will amuse him?” Mr. Newtrwep—"' Oh, anything that will mean torture for the rest of us."" comicbooks.com