Judge — December 6, 1902 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1902 Judge cartoon satirizes a wealthy young woman's persistent suitor. "Miss Vera Rich" complains that her father has rejected a persistent caller named "Ferdy" repeatedly ("fired him out a dozen times"), yet he continues visiting—he's "flat," a period slang term meaning broke or without money. The joke's punchline plays on "flat": her father calls Ferdy a "fire-proof flat" because no amount of rejection ("firing") can discourage this impoverished suitor from his courtship attempts. The cartoon mocks both the fortune-hunting persistence of poor suitors targeting wealthy heiresses and the exasperation of wealthy fathers dealing with such romantic parasites. The elaborate dress and interior setting emphasize the class contrast central to the satire.