Judge, 1906-02-03 · page 16 of 16
Judge — February 3, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip satirizes a snobbish upper-class character ("Nervy Nat") who attends a theatrical performance while affecting democratic sympathy for working-class people. The humor derives from his consistent rudeness and destructive behavior disguised as noblesse oblige: he deliberately disrupts the show, incites audience members to fight over stolen hats and wigs, and generally causes chaos. The satire targets pretentious wealthy men who claim charitable tolerance while actually displaying contempt for common folk. Nat's casual vandalism and provocation—followed by his gleeful arrest—suggest he views consequences as mere entertainment. The recurring refrain that he has "nothing to do tonight" and finds jail appealing mockingly implies such men face no real accountability for their actions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
i Nervy Nat—'* Thought I'd patronize the drama this evening. Feah- ful condescension on my part to mingle with this common working-clarss, but one ought to be democratic seml-occasionally listen to the old fogtes at the Army and Navy Club every bally night. Helgho!” Besides one carn't 3. Nervy Nat—‘ Now, skeezicks, It's your turn Of course | carn't promise you a swell fit, but tt will warm up the cupola. Now, when the music-lads start up aj Ing like this every littie bit helps." there s going to be doings—and on a slow even- Stour cenTLeMAN } oy ' equ STERN Lon pear piaareeriiiit ms: CHtl Nervy Nat—"'Sick him, little ‘un! Don't let him claw you like fatty! Say! the joy of the whole proposition to me is that it's no er which licks. I shall be delighted In any case. I don't want that ok ‘in now."* 1 PUBLISHAS, 28 FOURTH Ave. ney YOMK Two cenruemen im staLLS—" Skrumk—phe—ee—e—o!"" Nexvy Nat—"'They re off! Well, can you blame ‘em? This play is quite the punkest thing ever. I suppose the only thing that keeps me awake is thinking up a way to get'my harf-crown back. I'il have to do something to enliven the evening. ‘I wonder how the big fellow's phoney grass-plot would look on the other guy's dome?" | wine Sour centLeman—" Blarst me eyes! What in thunder do you mean by taking my—my hair! What do you mean, you—you blackguard? Sui Genttean—" Confound you, sir! how dare you palm off your— your beastly old wig on me, sir?” z Nervy Nat—"Haw! haw!"* 6 Nervy Nat—"' Say, Officer Slimm, tarry a brief moment. My tem- Peramental candor compels me to put you wise. | was the cause of the row—little me. So add me to your bunch cf law-busters. I haven't gct a thing to do to-night. Besides, it's getting julcy under foot, and any old Jail is home, sweet home, to me." NERVY NAT GOES TO THE “ THEARTER.” comicbooks.com