Judge, 1906-04-21 · page 16 of 16
Judge — April 21, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a satirical comic strip featuring "Nervy Nat," a cocky character who speaks in exaggerated British military slang ("old cockaleeky," "bally," "Lawks"). The narrative follows him encountering a recruiting officer and various characters while avoiding military service to Tibet. The satire targets British military recruitment and colonial imperialism—Nat claims he loves fighting for Britain but repeatedly dodges actual deployment. His contradictions (professing patriotic passion while making excuses) mock both recruitment propaganda and the inconsistency of public war enthusiasm versus personal reluctance. References to "Tommy Atkins" (generic term for British soldiers), "Lancers" (cavalry regiment), and the Thibet campaign appear to reference actual British imperial military activities. The garden/serpent dialogue likely alludes to romantic entanglement as another excuse. The humor derives from Nat's transparent self-interest clashing with militaristic rhetoric—satire on how ordinary men evaded actual combat duty despite patriotic posturing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Recrunina orricen—"' Look a-‘ere, me man; you're a pretty well Nexvy Nar—“* Oh, Tommy, Tommy Atkins! you're a good and hearty sevup chap. Why don't you Join the harmy + man, Say, old chep. couldn't we stroll down toward St. Jimmie’s and Nervy Nat—" Bah Jove. old cockaleeky! you're Jolly well right—I kill “em dead? The joke of the whole thing is we of the Lahncers are so will, ‘This must be the bally flipper of fate—for if there is an overmaster- Jolly conspicuous in our togs. and we're not likely to be ever called out ing passion in my make-up ‘tis the love of fighting and the craving for Recrurina orricer—"Oh, ‘aven't you ‘eard? We've bean ordered gore. Lead on, oh, British bulldog! | follow!” to Thibet to-morrow. Thought | told you. 3 Nervy Nat—*' So long! If there's one place | hold in particular ab- Nervy Nat—"‘ Ah, the Garden of Eden. Eve. and the serpent com- horrence it's Thibet. The society there {s too beastly exclusive Besides plete! Now, be a good little Eve and lend Adam the snake. A hot-headed that, my mother years ago said to me, ‘Nathaniel, there is one place | person that needs cooling off will shortly rise above the wall. I don't care want you to promise you'll never go.” “Where, mother, dear?” said I. to continue my acquaintance with him. With your help I will snub him.” *Thibet,” sald she, ‘1 promise!" I replied.”* : Housemai—"' Lawks! ‘e's a ‘ardy plant, ‘n't ‘e?” Recrurno orricer—“' Pardon, miss, but did you ‘appen to see a Nervy Nat—"'Yep. The old wall-flower needs a good bit of water- blooming deserter pass here?” ing—until he bégins to leave. Say, old chep, back to the barracks for Nervy Nat—“‘No, I didn't: and don't you speak to me. I don’t like yours! Skiddoo|"* soldiers when they're dry, and | certainly don’t like them when they're a3 ‘Comrmsnt (908 87 Jv06E CONPAMY PUBLISHERS, 226 FOURTH AE. nw YORK wet as you are; so just go ‘wey and don't annoy real refined girls like me. comicbooks.com