Judge, 1904-05-07 · page 5 of 20
Judge — May 7, 1904 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip satirizes a con artist named "Nervy Nat" who infiltrates a children's outdoor party. The humor operates on multiple levels: **The scheme:** Nat poses as a friendly uncle to gain the children's trust and access to their elaborate lunch. He then tricks them into running away by promising a "surprise," allowing him to steal their food. **The satire:** When a policeman confronts him, Nat claims the food was requested by "the department of the interior"—a bureaucratic excuse implying government corruption or petty theft rationalized through official channels. This mocks how officials might justify misappropriating public or private goods. **The payoff:** The children return and physically beat Nat in retribution, which he philosophically accepts as better than "violent exercise after a heavy meal." The strip exemplifies Judge magazine's class-conscious humor: mocking both the scheming lower-class hustler and the incompetent authorities unable to prevent theft, while celebrating working-class children's street justice.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Z LL Nek Nat—"The sight of those happy children brings tears to me eyes. Egad! that I could be one of them once again! And, shade of Delmonico! will you look at that luncheon? It's not right to let those young people gorge themselves with all that—that will never do. Nervy Nat—" Now, children, here's a game for you. Every one of you, when Uncle Nat counts three, run as fast as you can around the lake, and whoever gets back to me first I have a surprise for. All the girls, too—every one of you. One—two—three!"” 3. Nervy Nat—"‘ Oh, fudge! This is like getting a hamper from home. It's a shame to take the victuals, but | have had repeated inquiries for them from the department of the interior, so I shall now deliver the goods."* ““*Call me early, mother, for I'm to be queen of the May!" The lemon-soda doesn't appeal to me, but the eatables seem to give entire satisfaction at headquarters."" Poticeman Tootey—' Rob th’ childer, wud yez! Yez t'ink ye are a fooney joker—now, don’t ye?—sindin’ th’ kids aroound th’ lake phwile yez shtoof yez good-fer-nothin' carkiss wid thelr loonch,”* Nervy Nat—" My dear chap, run away and don’t disturb a fellow at meal-time."* 6. Pouiceaan TooLer—'* Soak him, kids! Ol thart Ol cud lave him to yez.”” Nervy Nat—"'I am positive that violent exercise after a heavy meal 1s not hygienic, but I believe I'll be going just the same.” NO, 23.—NERVY NAT AT A MAY-PARTY. comicbooks.com