Judge, 1906-02-17 · page 16 of 16
Judge — February 17, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This six-panel comic satirizes an American ("Nervy Nat") attempting to blend into London's upper-class society at Rotten Row, an exclusive equestrian area in Hyde Park. The humor stems from his incompetence and affected pretension. The satire targets: - **American social climbing**: Nat assumes wealth equals sophistication and tries mimicking British aristocracy ("Lord Squirrelface," references to "the toffs") - **Actual incompetence masked by bluster**: Despite claiming riding mastery, he immediately loses control of the horse and ends up unseated - **Class pretense**: He speaks in exaggerated British affectations while admitting ignorance (can't distinguish saddles from bottles) - **Self-deception**: Each failure is met with dismissal rather than humility The title "Rotten Row" puns on the area's name, suggesting the American's visit there is morally questionable or simply absurd. The joke assumes readers understand that wealthy Americans often attempted—and failed at—adopting British mannerisms during this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1 Nervy Nat—"‘Can it be that Lord Squirrelface is beckoning to me? Lorp Souirretrace—"‘ Hold me horse a moment, like a good feller. Does his bleared and decadent vision take me for one of the crawling I'll give you harf a crown when I come back." working classes? Oh, perhaps he sees I'm an American and knows how Nervy Nat—"Tut—positively tut! I'll anchor your skate for you, we dote on lords. I'll humor him.” as one gentleman to another: but cut out the insult, Willie—cut It out 3. 4. Nervy Nat—‘'I haven't bean on one of these things for a deuce of a Nervy Nat—“‘ Oh, say, this is really puerile—it's so easy! I'll open while. I'd like to take a canter down ' Decayed Alley’ with the toffs. It's a riding-school when I get back to the States. | must be the human cen- frightfully good for one—so Landsdowne was telling me.” taur. Lused to have a silly notion that perfect horzemanship came only after arduous practice. Pooh, pooh! Nervy Nat—"'I say, walt a moment, Mazeppal I'll take that all Orricen Summ—" Y e ’ back—hdhest, | will! I'don't know a saddle from a bottle of mustang dragged you ail the way (e Hyae Park corner 2 spi eaten Hatment. Help! hel" — Nenvy Nat—"' Yes, officer. As accustomed as | am to horses—hav- sess wot ar seve cbse ribs toon ie, ew ve Ing been a chauffeur for years—this is the most depraved animal | ever came in contact with.” NERVY NAT IN ROTTEN. ROW. v comicbooks.com