Judge, 1903-12-19 · page 16 of 52
Judge — December 19, 1903 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains multiple short comic sketches satirizing Christmas customs and social anxieties circa early 1900s: **Upper cartoon**: A man discovers his girlfriend is making him a gift while he's making her one. The joke's bitter twist: he suspects she's simultaneously "working him" (manipulating him for money/gifts)—a dig at courtship dynamics and male anxiety about female mercenary motives. **Various brief jokes** mock gift-giving expectations: a child requesting practical items (sled vs. skates), Santa's logistics in modern steam-heated homes, and a man's embarrassment at a church fair after realizing he left his money home. **"Two Views" poem**: Contrasts a woman's disappointment at receiving gifts (wanting more) versus a father's financial stress paying for Christmas—satirizing the commercialization of the holiday and gender expectations. **Bottom cartoon**: Irish immigrant dialogue ("Whist, Nora") predicting an "Irish Christmas" (a "green one")—likely a period ethnic stereotype, possibly referencing Irish drinking culture or poverty. The page satirizes Christmas materialism, courtship deception, and social class anxieties.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS. UX A8N UNCED he entered the room where his lady- love sat. In her hands was a bundle of fancy work. With an em- bacrassed smile she looked at him, say- ing. “Now that you have seen what | am doing, | may as well confess that I am working a present for | you Vet at the time, q the bitter thought bore in upon him that she was working him for a present at the same time she was working a present for him. Anicker—* Think we're going to have a green Christma rocker —“ Don't QUESTION NUMBER 7,305. know, but my wite is | “* How does Santa Claus get into houses where they have steam heat ?”* green one. | SHE GAVE HIM A HINT. TWO VIEWS. De Style—" He said he'd send her a Christmas-card and asked Now Mabel counts her presents o'er, what kind she wanted.” And then she drops a silent tear, | Gunbusta—" And what did she tell him?” And thinks it really is a shame De Sty A tray of diamonds.” That Christmas comes but once a year. ' . But papa, meanwhile, grinds his teeth, ; DEPENDED. Tad pays the bile eich inward ear \ Merritt—" Which would do you the more good, a sled or a pair Shell obey Up Ui Servene thaske : of skates m That Christmas comes but once a year. Litlle Johnnie—* Search me. {ain't no weather prophet.” MC LANDRUKGH WILSON, e ‘TIME FOR FLIGHT. #4] CAN take no chances.” As the terrible truth suddenly dawned upon him he became rooted to the spot and his face grew as red as a bugler’s, In his embarrass- ment he felt that every one in the gay throng around him knew of his predicament, and it would have been a relief if the floor had opened and swal- lowed him up. “Tcan take no chances.” The poor fellow had at- tended a church fair and found that he -had left all his money home in his other clothes. STILL NOISY. Mrs. Cobwigger — Fred- die seems to have broken nearly every one of his toys already. Cobwigger —"Yes, con- found it! all but the drum and the tin whistle.” $4} PREDICT an Irish Christ- mas,” said Bloobumper to Spats. What kind of a Christ- mas is that ?” CHRISTMAS EVE. - Mr. O'Rooney (in @ whisper)—" Whist, Nora. Look it! Sure, it’s the prisident av a great trust our Patsy will be “A green one, of course.’ one av these days.”” comicbooks.com