Judge, 1905-12-16 · page 21 of 48
Judge — December 16, 1905 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip satirizes the chaos of holiday travel and materialism. Mr. Barclay, a well-to-do businessman, boards a train home with expensive Christmas presents for his family. A snowstorm derails the journey—the train gets stuck, stranding passengers overnight at a station with downed wires. The humor derives from Barclay's escalating absurdity: forced to stay in the cold, he sequentially wears and ruins his luxury purchases (a new hat, a fur coat meant for his wife "Emmaline"). By morning, he's been reduced to wearing Christmas gifts intended for his children—including felt slippers and a rubber doll as headwear—making him look ridiculous. The satire mocks both the pretensions of material excess and the irony of wealth providing no protection against circumstance. The conductor's calm resignation contrasts with Barclay's mounting panic, emphasizing how nature indifferently disrupts bourgeois holiday plans.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1 Mr. Barctar—" Thank goodness, I didn’t miss my train! In two Mr Barctay—"' Say, Billy, what's the trouble? We don't seem hours I'll be home. Won't Emmaline and the kids throw fits when they to be moving.” see these things! Presents for all of ‘em! Hurray for Christmas!" Conpuctor Buty—" We ain't, Mr. Barclay. And what's more, we wont move till we get dug out o' this snow. ty from a station and ina snow-drift; the wires are down and here weare!"" 3. Mr. Barctay—“ It's getting frightfully cold; I'll have to put on "Well, good-night, Billy; hope they'll rescue us the squirrel coat I got for Emmaline; and as you say we'll have to stay by morning. I hate to think of eating that rubber doll I got for baby, tee plight we'll have to eat the turk and the mince-pie | was for breakfast. It's either that or the felt slippers for Gertie.” ringing home."* Conpuctor Bity—"'It's a shame, Mr. Barclay: but it can't be helped.” Conpucror Butr—' Well, merry Christmas! We're moving. Mr. Barctay—" Merry Christmas!" Snow-plow came along about two o'clock this morning. Peach of a e night, eh?” Mr. Barctar—' I ruined my new lid—Christmas present to myself. Have to wear a new toque | got for Emmaline. Can't go out in this COPYRIGHT 1908 BY JUDGE COMPANY PUBLISNERS, 226 FOURTH AVE. NEW YORK freezing cold with nothing but @ handkerchief on my head|"* WHY MR. BARCLAY LOOKED FUNNY ON CHRISTMAS MORN. comicbooks.com