Judge, 1905-12-16 · page 11 of 48
Judge — December 16, 1905 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This 1904 *Judge* magazine page parodies three prominent American writers' attempts to capture Southern dialect and Christmas themes. The text introduces the challenge: Northern poets struggle with authentic Southern voice—only Joel Chandler Harris (famous for Uncle Remus stories) succeeds naturally. The page satirizes three imitative versions by Frank L. Stanton, Victor Herrmann, and Franklin P. Adams, each rendering Christmas through exaggerated African American plantation dialect ("Hris'mus am a-comin'," "possum an' coon," "pickaninnies"). The illustrations show stereotypical scenes: enslaved or freed Black people, "Uncle" characters, rural settings. The satire targets not Southern life itself, but Northern literary pretension—writers attempting dialect they don't authentically command. However, the racial caricatures and offensive terminology reflect the era's casual racism, making this primarily a "literary" joke that relied on deeply dehumanizing stereotypes for its humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NORTHERN bard is worried hard to do a Christmas chant on The style affected overmuch by Mr. Frank L. Stanton; And, sooth to say, a southern lay conduces to embarrass A yankee poet who is not a Joel Chandler Harris. ‘Tis bard to write of “ Weibnachtzeit,” as they would say in German, A Christmas song that might be done by Mr. Victor Her - maan; Yet. Christmas time inspires rhyme without its perfect reason, Aad this might be the way those three would treat the Christmas season : 7 Fr-k L. St—nt—n. L HRIS'MUS am a-comin’, Comin’ mighty soon, Ready, dar, believers, "Possum an’ de ‘coon. IL Yah’s a invitation, Sho’ as Ah’m a sinneh! Chris’mus am a-comin’, Gwine to Chris’mus dinneh! 2, P| Jol Ch—d-r Hors, E CUNNEL am a gen'I'man so ve'y fine an’ gran’, De gran’est an’ de fines’ in de whole, en- tab fan’, He weah a grea’ big hat an’ grea’ big coat an’ dat’s a fac’, He good to all at Chris'rnus time, de white folks an’ de black. A lettah fo’ yo" cunnel. Missy say yo! got to come Fo’ de "possum an’ de rabbit an’ de puddin’ made o' plum. 3 Hush-a-by, mab fl black chil’! Bringin’ tidin’ ob de time ob Yule, Hush-a-by, mab I’ black chil’! Chris'mus am a-comin’, shut yo! eyes an’ sleep, Slumbeh fru de night-time, slumbeh sof” an’ deep. Black angels watch oveh pickaninntes keep. Hush-a-by, mab I'l black chil?! FRANKLIN P. ADAMS, &) NCLE RUFUS ridin’ on de ol’ gray mule, Comvmisnt 1904 By JUDGE COMPANY PUBLISHERS, 226 FOURTH AVE. MEW YORK Sathon bWiteins Line & Pro NewYora comicbooks.com