Judge, 1903-12-19 · page 36 of 52
Judge — December 19, 1903 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from Judge (copyright 1903) contains multiple brief humorous sketches typical of the era's satirical magazine format. **Key satirical pieces:** - **"Appreciation"**: Celebrates the turkey as the finest bird, likely mocking overwrought literary praise for ordinary things. - **"Could Not Asset"/"So Different"**: Gender-based humor about women's contradictions—one woman can't keep secrets, another changed after marriage despite preaching economy. - **"Knew Her Worth"**: Jokes about servants demanding raises, reflecting early-1900s class dynamics and domestic labor tensions. - **"The Happy Proprietor"**: A wealthy man (likely a Vanderbilt parody—"Astorbilt") boasts about his riches and leisure, mocking nouveau riche excess. - **"Why He Hurried"**: Christmas gift-exchange anxiety—receiving an unexpected gift obligates reciprocal spending. The illustrations are cartoonish, period-specific sketches. The humor targets domestic relations, class pretension, and consumer anxiety—themes recognizable today, though the specific social contexts (servant culture, rigid gender roles) are distinctly Edwardian.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
APPRECIATION. T IS no secret That the turk, ‘Though on the maple, Oak or birk ; Though on the cedar, Pine or beech, The pear, the apple Or the peach ; Or on the platter All abeam A large and julcy Lotos dream— Is quite the finest Bird extant That wakes our little Glitedged chant. COULD NOT ASSET. 4 Mfaybell— Can you keep a secret?" Elizabeth —“ Yes, easily. But I can't help any one else keep one.” ACCOUNTED FOR. SO DIFFERENT. , * Jerrold broke that Christmas present his uncle sent him ‘She (haughtily)—" You say it is Zwho have changed 2” toe Ee chia He (wearily)—" Yes ; I can hardly believe you.are the same girl who “Oh, no: it was an automobile.”* was always cautioning me to economize before we were married.” KNEW HER WORTH. Mr. Benedict— Do you know, my dear, I think we have a pretty good cook! How does she strike you ?” ‘ Mrs. Benedict— “ For more wages about once a week.” WORTH THE SACRIFICE, Staylate—“May 1 have a kiss before I go ?” Miss Weary —“ If I give you one will you | really go 2” | 3 | CLEARLY. | ee [TIS the laziest arti- - | cle in the pantry,” THE HAPPY PROPRIETOR. j declared the cook. Lever laugh and dance and snap my thumbs at fate's rude knocks, “What is?” asked For I'm a castled Astorbilt up here upon the rocks. & And now I brace the stove-pipe up, that Santa, be it said, + the housemaid. May clamber down with all things that paint my rapture red. | _ COMMENT 1903 BY JUDGE COMPANY OF NEW YORK. WHY HE HURRIED. Tue rriexo—" Why the.rush, old chap?"* recelved a Christmas ‘Tue oTmen—"* Just gift from an unexpected source, and I've got to hustle to buy one in return.”* comicbooks.com