Judge — September 5, 1903 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cover from September 5, 1903 depicts "A Hot Wave Coming." The central figure is a grotesque demon or devil emerging from a cauldron labeled "Rev. Good Shepherd D.D." (a reverend), carrying a thermometer. A small man labeled "parson" stands nearby, saying "Don't worry, parson; I'll keep an eye on this town while you're away." The satire appears to target religious hypocrisy—specifically a corrupt or ineffectual clergyman departing town, leaving behind moral chaos (represented by the demon). The advertisements on the left (Foam Beach Dance Hall, theater closures) suggest concerns about summer vice and entertainment establishments operating unchecked during hot weather when religious oversight is absent. The cartoon cynically implies that without the parson's supervision, the town will descend into debauchery.