Judge, 1906-03-17 · page 16 of 16
Judge — March 17, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a six-panel comic strip satirizing Irish-American stereotypes and Anglo-American relations around St. Patrick's Day (March 17). **Main figures:** "Nervy Nat" (an Irish-American character) and "Officer O'Toole" (an Irish police officer visiting from America), who encounter a British "bobby" (London policeman). **The satire:** The comic mocks Irish-Americans through exaggerated dialect and crude behavior—Nat encourages O'Toole to assault the British cop on St. Patrick's Day as a "revenge" against England. References to "Tammany Hall" (the notorious Irish-American political machine in New York) and the casual threat of violence reinforce negative stereotypes about Irish immigrants. **The joke's appeal:** Judge magazine's audience would have found humor in both the Irish caricatures and the implied criticism of Irish-American rowdiness and their complicated relationship with British authority. The final panel suggests O'Toole will be arrested, with Nat comically worried about missing his bridge game with "Lord Bucktooth."
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
L Nervy Nat—“' By all that is Hibernian, if it isn't the O'Toole! ‘Tis Saint Patrick's day In the a. m.,and the pride of Dead Man's Curve lights in Fogburg. What brings my old chaperon to the Philadelphia of Eng- land?” Orricer O'TooLe—"' Nat, me b'y, ‘tis good t'see ye, ye divil! Shure, they sint me here t” shtudy th’ thrafi 3. Orricer O'Toots—"' Nat, darlint, glory be t’ Michael Joseph! phwat Is thot wid th’ shtrap in {ts teeth 2" Nervy Nat—"' You refer to exhibit ‘A’ on the right? That, old fel- low, Is a bobby—that fs the femous London cop. Remember, ‘tis March seventeenth, and if his appearance displeases you you have th that fist of yours.”” 5. Orricer O'TOOLE} _ 4 Sree nce Eb —eriiritseneereereriiie reat Nervy Nat—'t What a gorgeous, hand-IIlumined revenge! My two arch enemieses! To think of the O'Toole coming all the way from the States to give me this all-star benefit! All around the mulberry-bush— hoop-la!” NERVY NAT WELCOMES OFFICER Coprment (908 ay su9ee company PuBYSKERS, jat, me bucko! Ot'm goin’ t' change me room. Hov me cot put up In th’ Amurrican bar.”* All right, O'Toole. I'm glad you brought your Broad- old chep. Now, don't lose sight of the fact that it's your ancestor's—Saint Patrick’s—day. Let us saunter toward Trafalgar ‘Square and if we'see any British cops eat'em alive." Orricer O'Too! thot doesn't take me fancy. Nervy Nat—''l felt that you'd do the proper thing If the matter was only presented in the right light. Now, if you'd like to walk on his wish- bone just throw him dowa and "— Orricer O'Tootr—" Whin Tammany Hall hears av this outrage they'll come over an’ free Olreland."* Nervy Nat—"* Never mind, O'Toole; it takes the whole family to run you In, 31's a beastly shame running me in, too, Lord Bucktooth will fearfully vexed when I don't tun up for bridge this evening.” j O'TOOLE TO LONDON. comicbooks.com