Judge, 1906-05-05 · page 16 of 16
Judge — May 5, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a six-panel comic strip satirizing class relations and British social pretense. "Nervy Nat" (a working-class character) repeatedly tricks "Lord Gruntsam" (or similar aristocratic figure) into physical exertion by flattering his vanity and appealing to masculine pride. The joke exploits the contrast between the Earl's supposed dignity and his gouty condition—he's physically deteriorated from "high living" but too proud to admit it. Nat manipulates him into pushing a bicycle as a "cure," then later tricks him into more strenuous activity, all while Nat rides comfortably. The final panel shifts to romance, with Nat sentimentalizing to "Jessie" about Yosemite Valley, suggesting he's a con artist skilled at manipulation across social boundaries. The satire targets both upper-class pretension (the Earl's inflated dignity) and working-class opportunism (Nat's clever deception), reflecting Judge magazine's satirical approach to Gilded Age social hierarchies.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Lono Grunrsum—"‘Here, me man; will you push me about a bit? There 3 a good chap! Me man has run off Nerv Nar—"' With grea! ing beggar your man must have bean! Of course It Is underst do It as a favor, doncher know, and you mustn't try to urge any five-pun notes on m 3. Nervy Nat—"'I see your sporting blood is up. This Is the cure: You push me to Charing Cross post-office. and all the while keep singing to yourself, ‘Everybody Works but Father.’ and you'll be positively amazed and astounded at the difference you'll feel."" His torps: ‘Sounds like confounded rot, but I'll do it. I've tried i} Nexvr Nat—"' There, you wrung-out end of a washed-out race! now you've done It! When we hit the Duke of Portland’s monument down do contrive to swerve a bit to the side. | would like to be swept up ely afterward, without getting any of your pleces mixed up with His torostip—"* Yes: I've had a gouty foot for ye'rs. Jolly high living in me youth, and all that sort of thing.”” suppose you've tried ail these London medical John- nies. Well. | know a sure cure; but of course you couldn't avail yourself of it. Your dignity and all that would suffer "—— * Dignity be blowed! What is it—what is it 4. Nervy Nat—"'Say, for heaven's sake, Gruntsum, don't snort so! and for the love of Mike look where you're going! You nearly ran me into that baby ‘pram.’ Now we're nearing the hill down to Pall Mall, 30 get a good hold with your noble flippers, and don't go too fast" — 6. Nerv Nat—"‘When the harvest days are over, Jessie deah! How calm the ocean is to-night! Oh, see those cute little stars dancing on the peaceful bosom of the lake! Is not the Yosemite Valley a wonderful plece of work? Yes; I'm jad we decided to spend the summer in Bar Harbor."”