Judge, 1904-03-26 · page 5 of 16
Judge — March 26, 1904 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip follows a character ("Nervy Nat") who steals a pair of fashionable spike-toe boots from a shoe store. The humor derives from his escalating physical suffering as the ill-fitting shoes torment him through a series of escalating mishaps—he can barely walk, experiences shooting pains, and appears to have a public breakdown on the street. The satire targets vanity and fashion obsession: Nat prioritizes stylish appearance over comfort and propriety, committing theft to acquire trendy footwear he cannot afford. A sympathetic cop helps him, but ultimately the shoe-store owner has him arrested ("pinched" = arrested in period slang), revealing Nat's crime. The comic mocks both foolish fashion victims and the era's wireless technology (mentioned as "wireless pains"), suggesting modern conveniences were equally absurd. The Irish-accented cop provides comic relief typical of early 20th-century American humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WW SY. “ SS i Nexvy Nat—"'Suffering Socrates! ‘tis a tight squeeze, egad! My Nervy Nat—"'l feel constrained to annex these shoes. Honestly, | haven't got the nerve to ask the man to present them to me. Besides, cursed vanity prompted this spike-toe boot. They'll do at a pinch, no T've no doubt he's a busy man, so | won't bother him with idle questions. doubt. By the powers! I'll swear | can feel all my toes blending into 1 must trot over to the club and slip these on.”* one. But I'll get ‘em both on or bust!"” 3. Nervy Nat—"‘Oh, these are awfull Now | know why the Willle- Nervy Nat—"Oh, agony! Any one would think | had a fit that saw boys walk so funny. Every step I take sends a million wireless pains all me; but It's no fit that bothers me, These shoes wouldn't fit anything over my system. I'd like to get a hold of the double-breasted, peanut- but'a frog. Oh, I shall surely pass away in two minutes! Help!" headed egg-plant that made these abominations. Just lock me up ina Tue cor—"'A hobo throwin’ a fit, be gory! Here, youse! don't barn with him and give me a pickaxe!” bore a hole in th’ ashphallt."" 5. Nervy Nat—''Good and kind samaritan, blessings on your worthy . headpiece! You can rest assured that Nervy Nat never forgets a kind- ‘Stoe-store owner—"‘ Take him right along, officer—that's the man. ness. If there fs anything I can possibly do for you—promotion to cap- I've followed him ever since | saw him steal those shoes from my store."* taincy, a saloon of your own—any little thing like that—don't hesitate to Nervy Nat—'I'm so all-fired thankful to get those tortures off my mention it. If you do my feelings will be crushed.” feet you'll have no trouble with me. I'll go anywhere—Brooklyn, the ‘Tue cop—Whisht, now, me b'y! Don't mintion it. Shure, Ol Philippines, or Puerto Rico—any place on the map. Why, | feel like a thought ye wor hovin' a fit. "Tis only common humanity, an’ Moike th’ man just let out of the pen after a ten-year term. Wow! The drinks are copper Is no football player or automobiler."” ‘on me if I can get a bar-keep to hang me up.”” NO. 17.—NERVY NAT IS PINCHED. comicbooks.com