Judge, 1904-09-03 · page 5 of 16
Judge — September 3, 1904 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip depicts a recurring character, "Nervy Nat," a vagrant or tramp who claims to warn a train engineer about a dangerous wash-out (collapsed track section) ahead. The humor derives from Nat's deception and social pretense: despite being a disheveled hobo, he poses as a heroic savior to manipulate the engineer into gratitude. The satire targets class hypocrisy and opportunism. Nat exploits the engineer's belief in his own nobility ("hero's heart beating under a tramp's shirt") while maintaining genteel affectations ("I may need three or four shaves; but really, you know"). He declines a monetary reward with false modesty, then complains afterward about his injuries with absurd exaggeration ("swallowed two of my twelve-year-old molars"). The strip mocks both pretentious respectability and working-class gullibility—suggesting how easily con-artists manipulate genuine sentiment through false claims of heroism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1 Nervy Nar—"'It is nearly time for the three-thirty flyer. 1 will stoj th Nexvy Nat—"‘Stop! In the name of humanity, esoteric Buddhism ¢ train and have some fun with the engineer, who threw me off once.” and the concert of the powers, stop! There's a wash-out on the line back here aways! Ah! they're putting on the brakes. She's slowing up. Gee! I hope I can keep a straight face.” — TP ape =I 3. 4 ; Encineer—" My noble boy, shake! This proves there’s many a Encineer—''I think the passengers would like to make up a hand- hero's heart beating under a tramp's shirt.” some purse for you if they knew it was through your prompt and coura-" Nexvy Nat—"' This is most embarrassing; but really, my dear chap, geous act they are alll alive this minute”), “s._ I hope you were not referring to me asa tramp. I may bea little rumpled, Nexvy Nat—‘'I'm sure it is very kind of you to think of such a and | may need three or four shaves; but really, you know "— thing; but really, ‘pon honor, | have very little use for money. Ive sort Encineer—"There, there! Forget that I said it, my brave fellow! of outgrown the habit of handling it, don't you know. We are nearly to Now show us the wash-out.” the place.”” s. . Nervy Nat—" Such a rude set of men, those railroad employes. | Nervy Nat—"There Is the wash out on the line | was telling you am almost certain I've swallowed two of my twelve-year-old molars, three about, gentlemen. I don’t think you need to’ report it at headquarters, milk-teeth, elght gin and three seltzer teeth, and there are a couple of though. Avwfuily sorry, and all that sort of thing, if I've detained you.” thank-ye-ma’ams on my skull that were level turf a while ago."" NO. 40.-NERVY NAT FLAGS A TRAIN. comicbooks.com