Judge, 1905-12-23 · page 16 of 17
Judge — December 23, 1905 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This six-panel comic follows an American character ("Nervy Nat") who impersonates the U.S. ambassador to Britain. The satire targets American pretension and cultural ignorance abroad. The plot: Nat, dressed in what he claims is proper "American court-dress" (actually Jefferson Market or Yorkville attire—working-class New York neighborhoods), attempts to pass himself off as the ambassador to British railway officials. He complains about Liverpool accommodations, loses his luggage, and demonstrates crude manners throughout. The joke exposes the character's buffoonish behavior: he's caught when the *actual* ambassador appears, yet brazenly refuses to admit the deception. He then flees to London anyway, insisting the train dispatcher showed him insufficient respect. The cartoon mocks American social climbers abroad and satirizes American pretense to diplomatic sophistication while embodying crude materialism and poor manners.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Nervy Nat—"'On to London! These Liverpool “* gaols" are nice, safe places, but the service Is execrable. | had to ring for twenty minutes this morning before | got my hot water for shaving. 3. Raiway opriciat—'' Very good. sir. This compartment is reserved for you, sir; and I'll see to your luggage, sir.” Nexvy Nar ~"'If you can find my luggage you will indeed deserve to be called observant. it would take the eyes of eighteen experienced bald- kokoed eagles to see It."" Ratuway orricat—"* Th England Out with you! Nerv Nat—"'I've always maintained that there was no comfort to be had in traveling abroad. cormmnt 1904 47 JU8EE COMPANY PUBLISNERS, £25 /OURTH AVE. At YORK ‘ow we treat himpostors and shams tn Raitway orricuat—"' This s the American ambassador, {s It not? Yes: | knew it must be on account of your er—pecullar costume. The American court-dress, is it not. sir?” Nervy Nat—"" You are most observant. my good man—I am the new ambassador. | always wear this costume at court— be It Jefferson Market or Yorkville, They insist upon it."* 4 Rattway orriciat—"'I thought as how you told me you were the American ambassador. Well, you ain't--you're a himpostor! ‘Ere’s the gentleman imself, so come out o' there! * Nervy Nar--" Now, my British friend, gently—calm yourself. Y. told me yourself who | was | positively decline to change my Identity. Tell his nobs out there if there Is any embassing to do | will altend to it.” 6. Nervy Nat—'* Well, I'm going to London, anyhow, and it's a deuced sight more comfortable on the jolly buffers than It ts Inside the bally cas —pardon me; I mean carriages. There was something—some little, in- definable thing— In that train-dispatcher s manner toward me that bordered on familiarity. Never mind. What ho! for Fogburg!"" comicbooks.com