Judge, 1904-11-26 · page 5 of 16
Judge — November 26, 1904 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic satirizes a corrupt health inspector ("Nervy Nat") who uses his official position for personal gain. Arriving at Mrs. Gullible's home to inspect her premises, Nat's real agenda is clear: he shamelessly eats her food while conducting a perfunctory "investigation," claiming to taste milk, turkey, and other provisions in the name of official duty. The satire targets municipal corruption and incompetence—specifically inspectors who abuse their authority to extort food and favors from citizens. Nat's transparent excuses ("I must be thorough") and his shameless consumption reveal the fraud. The final panels show him being pursued by Officer O'Toole, suggesting such inspectors face occasional accountability, though Nat remains undeterred. The "Thanksgiving" title ironically references Nat's self-serving feast at the Gullibles' expense—a darkly comic commentary on turn-of-the-century urban corruption and the powerlessness of ordinary citizens before dishonest officials.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mrs, Julius Gullible, I believe? Er—madam, | repre- sent the board of health, and they have sent me to Inspect your premises. Don't quail, dear madam; | have no dovbt their suspicions will prove groundless. Let us hope and pray they will. Rumors of one or two little Irregularities have reached us—such as the suspicion that your ice-chest needed looking into, and that sort of thing.”” Mrs. Guttiste—"' Lord! how you frighten me, sir! But come in, sir, and see for yourself.” Nervy Nar—" Now, madam, trot out the grub—pardon; I mean the contents of the ice-chest—that | may bring the official eye, and perchance the official mouth, to bear upon them. I will give you an unbiased deci- sion. I don't know why Lever joined the board of health. Mere eating Is so distasteful to me, | often go for days without touching food—It is so repugnant to my refined nature, That's one reason. There are others that we needn't go into.” \ Nl Www | | ITC 3. Nervy Nat—"There have been vile slanderers at work. There is absolutely nothing the matter with this milk—it is milk that any fastidious ‘cow might be proud of. I had to taste two or three glasses of it to make sure, The turkey I have not tested yet, but it looks respectable and whole some, I found the pork and beans up to the standard; but, madam, for your own satisfaction, as well as mine, we must be thorough—no half measures. | owe that to you as an officer anda gentleman, Bring me your apple-butter and gingerbread. They spoke of those as needing in- Vestigation.”” uf er Nervy Nat—'‘1 am pleased to be able to report to the board that thelr suspicions were unfounded; and now I will look over the rest of the house. ‘There was something mentioned about defective flues. No, madam: don’t bother to follow me. Stay right where you are: I shall need no help in these minor routine duties. Don’t mind if I close this door, as | may make a little dust in examining the chimneys. Never fear but what my report will be ‘ Everything o. k.""* 5. Nervy Nar—"' My word) what a wife that woman must make! Why, ste'll believe the sun Sets in the subway every evening if you tell her so. Vil bet O'Toole has got scent of my doings to-day. That cop makes Snerlock Holmes look like a kid playing * blind man’s buff’ "—— Orricer O'Toote—"'Oi'm afther yez, Nat! Come on, now! A dago 's got yer room this wake, but we've got another wan on th’ same flure, wid southern exposure.’ Nervy Nat—'* What did | say? Oh, | expected to find you waiting for me, old chap! Wait till | put these gents’ furnishings back on the rack; then I'll be with you. I had a Thanksgiving dinner which nothing will Induce me to leave." NO, §0.NERVY NAT’S THANKSGIVING. comicbooks.com