Judge, 1902-12-20 · page 20 of 52
Judge — December 20, 1902 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the formulaic, melodramatic endings of sentimental Christmas stories popular in early 20th-century magazines. The "Last Chapters" section mocks their predictable plots through exaggerated scenarios: - An erring son returns with a wife and seven children, causing the father to literally die from shock/joy - A poor suitor offers only love as a Christmas gift, while his beloved's father conveniently goes bankrupt - A mysterious stranger searches for a lost love, only to learn she divorced the man in question to marry a wealthy "pork-packer" The "Considerable Difference" cartoon below jokes about marital disappointment: a wife recalls her husband once compared his love to Niagara Falls' power, but now he's as unreliable as the actual river's hydroelectric output. The satire targets both the absurd coincidences of sentimental magazine fiction and the gap between romantic courtship promises and marriage reality—humor accessible to readers fatigued by overwrought seasonal sentimentality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LAST CHAPTERS. 10 save the time of the average magazine reader, we append the happy finales of the leading Christ- mas stories of the year: “A glad Christ- mas, indeed,” smiled the happy old father, as he wrung the of the ward son who had stepped into the an- cestral hall. father,” the and I have come home hand way- answere’l + Yes. erring son to stay.” “Ah, my boy, you little know how glad this makes me. Do you bring with you any mementos of your travels ?” “ Nothing but my wife and seven children, father.” When the servants gathered up the remains of the white-haired old man they said to one another that he looked as if he had died happy, or had been happy to die. ‘+ Is he an easy talker?” With a rare smile Gwendolyn as he goes along.” looked into his eyes. * And what,” she asked, * would you most desire for a Christmas present 2" « Nothing,” avowed Percival Puddeighme, “except you.” “Ah!” wept the fair maid, “I cannot say how happy you make me, for father went into bankruptcy yesterday. With a low moan Percival sank to the floor. “Did your mother never speak to you of James Gilfoyle?" asked the bearded stranger, in trembling tones, Wa-al, it am.” “Well, he’s like a small boy and his Christmas bicycle—he starts out easy but gets tiresome CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCE Yo" used to say yo'r love fo' me was like de torrent ob Niagara.” Dey gits some workin’ power out ob Niagara.” \\renne re Stam MANY SUCH "Yes, sir,” answered the bright little girl. + Often.” Then she cannot have forgotten me, after all,” huskily murmured the stranger, pluck gs binding the heavy parcel he carried. How long since she mentioned him to you 2" he asked again. The last time,” said the lassie, “was just after she got her divorce from him, so that she could marry the rich pork-packer.” With a muffled curse James Gilfoyle sped down the strect, wondering where he could get his dinner. | ig in his agitation at the stri comicbooks.com