Judge — December 23, 1905 — page 2: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— ——aaa —=k-3 Caw 277 <= ESS a S PUBLISHED WEEKLY Ar rae Pamxxn Burprxc, Founrm AVENUE axp Niwereexru Sraxer, New YoRx. Warrexn Apvexnisinc Ornice—1313 Hartford Building, Chicago, Mh. unr Ove copy, one year, , OF s2 numbers One copy, six months, or 26 numbers - TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS: TATES AND CANAD: One copy, for thirteen weeks FOREIGN SUBSCRIPTIONS—To all foreign countries in the Tncluding the Cunistacas Juocx. postal union, $6308 year. Evnorean sates-acewts—Jatermational News Company, Bream's building, Chancery Lane, E.C, London : Brentane's, Avenue de!" Opera, Paris; Saarbach's News Exchange, Mains, Germany. The contents of FUDGE are protected by copyright in both the United States and Great Britain. Infringement of this copyright will be promptly and digorously prosecuted. CONTRIBUTORS must inctose a stamoed and self-addressed erfvelope ‘with all manuscripts, ottefiwise return of the Latter when foand unavailable cannot be guaranteed. DRAWINGS and all contribations sent to the Art Department should have the sender's fall name and address Yoritten plainly on each and every separate sketch. The accompanying descriptive letterpress should in ébery instance be written upon tts indroidaal pictare, and NOT upon a separate stip of paper. Inclosare. tnsure safe and prompt return of material not JUDGE WISHES A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO HIS READERS. I" IS the foolish habit of a self-conscious age to be always picking its blessings to pieces and examining them to discover if they are real. Of course every immaterial joy is dissipated, like an unstoppered perfume, in the process. The Christmas-tide to each person is largely a matter of feel- ing, according to the measure of his ‘own personal participation in its essen- tial spirit. To one the day stands like a cast, a mould of custom, a bottle from which all but the merest hint of fra- grance has disappeared. To another it is still full of the ancient perfume, rich with unwasted fragrance and the un- spent wine of delight. To one it is a mere fetich, a survival of old barba- tisms, a blockade at the close of the year, bringing exhaustion of purse and nerve, owing to the increasing extrav- agance of present-giving. To another it is a source of joyous wonder that a festival of such splendor can thrust itself into the heart of the winter, that the earth can be compelled to bring forth her sweetest flowers at the most ungracious*and inclement season of the year, and that mankind, at the cost of so much labor and incon- venience, can be brought to lend to the occasion its best powers. There is no gainsaying the fact that expense and extravagance are more and more coming to characterize this joy-season, and to many it almost loses its joy- fulness on that account. On the other hand, it may be said that no other extravagance yields such a wealth of innocent pleasure, and if we are to cut off anything from the annual budget we might better begin with a lot of other foolishness that separates us from our coin, After all, Christmas is the children’s festival. Its main root is nourished in the soil of their young dreams and hopes and affections, This alone were reason enough why the season should live and flourish. Only the grim and barren heart that has forgot its youth can go through the Yule-tide without feeling the warmth and cheer and gladness which it has imported into the smiling domain of childhood. ee HAPPY HAAKON VIL AND THE UNHAPPY CZAR. ONE KING gets a crown in his stocking. Another finds a bomb. It’s the way of the world, The new king, Haakon VII., finds himself in such improved circumstances that his first Christmas, following close upon his accession to the Norwegian throne, must be a very happy one. In Copenhagen, as prince, he lived in a modest flat, and the entire living ex- penses of the family had to be crowded within the meagre confines of a bare $40,000 a year. The storthing fixed the new king’s allowance at $200,000—which shows how grateful the Norwegians are at having been able to annex this branch of neighboring royalty. While a president here draws $50,000 for a very strenuous sort of service, King Haakon will have a palace of more than average magnificence and his $200,000 for giving to a small peninsular community the dignity of a throne and a monarchical régime. Norway was very fortunate in finding an available king so near at hand. To get the right kind of a king, one who will exactly suit the people, is more diffi- cult than finding a shepherd for a pastor: less flock. Europe might take a sugges- tion from the incident and provide a sort of emergency monarchs in bargain lots and sizes to suit. By this means a country wedded to the monarchical habit could fill a vacant throne at a moment's notice. While Norway is in the first thrills of pride over its new hired sovereign, another people farther to the east is trying to upset the Joke oF of stamps to the full amount of postage (s also required, to throne and overwhelm its occupant. Such is the way of this madcap world. While Norway takes unto herself a new sovereign, Russia, in rage and tears at her czar, would abolish him in bloodshed and anarchy. TRYING FIRST-DAYS OF “KID” CONGRESSMEN. Te THE eighty-odd “kid” congressmen a brief pause after the first trying days of their initiation into Washington life must give to their Christmas an added delight. The first days of the new congressman are a trial, compared to which the newness, the unreality and strangeness of a honeymoon are as nothing. He comes from the rural wildness and sim- plicity of Sparta, Missouri, and sits in the parlor-window of the nation. The fierce light that beats upon a throne is a mere sprinkle of star-dust be- side the white glare of publicity that shines about him. The dirt-paths and board-walks of his far-distant home in Kinikinnick County give place to the avenues of asphalt, and his disposition to run into alleys when a trolley car buzzes by is the source of no end of discomfort. If a congressman could slip into Washington quietly and grow up with the government, as it were, and gravitate unnoticed to his seat, as a star comes out in the twilight heav- ens, it would be so different. But there are compensations. Think of the joy of being able to say of every law from now on, “I am partially the parent of that law!” Here is the peculiar glory of the new congressman and the sweet solace of his first days, that he is now in a position where it is possible to in- troduce a bill which shall profoundly affect the whole after-life of 85,000,000 people. He may shy at the cars, have that funny feeling when the elevator goes down, and be laughed at by Mr. Joseph G. Cannon; but down deep is the steadfast bedrock of his kingship as the man sent from Kalamazoo or Poke Landing to assist in making 28,765 brand-new laws for his coun- trymen. In these glorious days of festivity the young congressmen will get over their stage-fright, and when they face the speaker’s desk in Jan- uary Uncle Joe wants to look out. THe NEW insurance-blotters for 1906 are out. They are fully up to the high standard of former years and make nifty Christmas presents. eee FINGER INSURANCE is getting to be quite popular. Kubelik, Pader- ewski, and all the light-fingered gentry are taking out large policies. AND NOW a cigar-store offers a special service for women who wish to buy a Christmas treat for their men friends. This is a move back- wards. eee AND HERE is General Chaffee, in these piping days of peace, predict- ing that Uncle Sam will have another war on his hands! Think of something pleasant, general. LOOKS NOW as if walking is to be the fad of 1906. A great many people who have ridden heretofore will take to the open road since the railroads have shut down on passes. eee THE ACTION of that Chattanooga clergyman who refused an increase of salary is causing a good deal of comment round the country. Some think it was a very peculiar thing for a man to do, eee 'HE TILT between ex-President Cleveland and the women’s clubs on the race-suicide issue has reached the statistical stage. The women are counting the babies. The latest claim is 2 1-18 per mother. Why not make it an even two—or, better still, three. comicbooks.com