Judge, 1904-12-17 · page 21 of 48
Judge — December 17, 1904 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1904 page contains three satirical pieces reflecting early 20th-century humor: **"Cupid's Bill"** mocks romantic entanglement through an invoice joke—Cupid must bill Sir Strephon for his bungled matchmaking efforts (broken arrows, wasted darts, failed attempts). The humor plays on the absurdity of love as a commercial transaction. **"Awful Suggestion"** is a dark joke about hunting accidents: a mother hopes her husband won't mistake Santa Claus for a reindeer while hunting—satirizing the danger of firearms and perhaps poking fun at Christmas mythology. **"Why, Certainly Not"** uses racist dialect to ridicule a character ("Mr. Hennery Cuick") for his skepticism about an implausible bet involving eating chickens daily. **"Christmas Day in Shanty-Town"** employs ethnic stereotyping and broken dialect, with a final editorial note predicting everything will be "Japanese in twenty years"—reflecting xenophobic anxieties about Asian influence during the period of Japanese imperial expansion. The page reflects Judge's typical blend of wordplay, social commentary, and period-typical racial caricature.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
AN ADIRONDACK FANCY. IN snow-shoes o'er the crust I trip along the way, With bow and dart To find the heart, And make it glad alway. And when I shoot to hit The man or maiden near, T trust ‘twill not Turn out a shot ‘That hits instead a deer. AWFUL SUGGESTION. Mother Yes, Johnny, hunting.” Joknny—" Well, 1 do hope he won't get far enough north to shoot Santa Claus in mistake for a reindeer.” your father has gone CUPID'S BILL. ODE gummer day, poor little ‘Cupid Sat sadly poring o'er his slate, “11 fear I must be very stupid,” He said, and shook his curly pate. And then he ran away to Venus. “Dear mother, help me! if you will, I'm sure," he cried, ‘that we between us Can straighten out Sir Strephon's bill.” Said Venus, “Just as 1 ex- pected ! You always do make such a fuss With bills!” But soon it was corrected, And the account was ren- dered thus : Sir Strephon— To Dan Cupid, Dr., To shooting at six maidens’ hearts. To making one blue silken fetter. To half a dozen blunted darts, To seven arrows, lost or broken. To one heart by a blunder hit. Toone new bow. To one love- token. Terms cash. Please remit. No credit. ““Hasten," cried Venus, “do not tarry ! To-day is Strephon’s wed- ding-day. Unless he settle e'er he marry, Cupid may whistle for his Pay.” carourn waits, WHY, CERTAINLY NOT. Mr. Hennery Cuick—‘ Bill «Blades pertends to be a real spo't, but when a man bets dat dere’s no membah ob dis club kin eat thirty chickens ebery day fo’ thirty days he dun knowed dat no sensible gen'lmen would risk jail thirty times han’ runnin’ !"" CHRISTMAS. DAY IN SHANTY-TOWN. Mrs. Micxypoo—'' Jimmie! Shtop that joo-jitsootn’ an’ come an’ git yor rice an’ herrin’. Yor father ‘s home.” Nora—Everything will be Japanese in twenty years.— Daily nrwupeper. CCOPYAIGNT 1904 BY JUDGE COMPANY PUBLISHERS, 226 FOURTH AVE. MEW YORK. Sachem Wideins time & Prg Co NewYors comicbooks.com