Judge, 1906-08-11 · page 16 of 16
Judge — August 11, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This six-panel comic strip satirizes American rudeness toward French people and French culture. "Nervy Nat," an irreverent American character, repeatedly bothers a dignified French baron and his poodle ("caniche") by mooching cigarettes, discussing a suspicious sausage (likely referencing Upton Sinclair's *The Jungle*, a 1906 exposé of meat-packing practices), and generally pestering French citizens with his brash behavior. The humor relies on contrasting American informality and crudeness with exaggerated French politeness and formality. The baron responds with increasingly strained courtesy despite obvious annoyance. The final panel shows a French sergeant arresting Nat, who accepts incarceration with the same casual American impertinence. The satire mocks both American boorishness abroad and, implicitly, French pretentiousness—each culture finds the other absurd.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1, Nerve Nar—"'I'm glad it's daylight, for | nearly started to-smoke 2. Nervy Nat—"' Monsieu’, will you kindly donnez-mol a light?” this sausage. Then I should have had to eat my ‘flor de gasolene.’ I'll Baron pe Bric-a-prac—Nom du nom! Go queekly away. It is save the ground-hog and get a light from this French Johnny for my Im- that you are one impudent fellow.’ perfecto,” 3. Nervy Nat—"Oh, mercy, Fido! isn't your brother exclusive? I can 4. Nervy Nat—"* All around the Johnny Crapaud the poodle chased the see by your anxiety to get this ‘packer's secret’ that you don't believe sausage. Now, once around again and we'll have this Gallic shrimp Upton Sincialr. Come; we will scamper around your kennel companion, where we want him "— and you have my word of honor that in the end thia sausage will be yours.”” 5. Nexvy Nat—" Now may I trouble you? Ah, thanks, monsieu'! So 6. Seroent Capuc —“* Sacré volaille au cressons! It must that | arrested good of you! Toujours la politesse—but, then, one could hardly expect you Ze baron shall ze satisfaction has. Mals alors, the corner once less from a Frenchman. You are so lavishly and extravagantly polite, it beyond you will escape. Yes, It was so funny—no?” makes us primitive and untutored Americans ashamed. Have you noticed Nervy Nar -“* Caduc, | gather that you intend only to go through the the stars this evening?” motions of arresting me; but | prefer to be incarcerated this afternoon. COPVRIGIT 19068Y JUOGE COMPANY PUBLISWERS, 226 FOURTH AVE. KEW YORK “Twere better so. | thought of going to the races.” NERVY NAT AND- THE BLACK CANICHE. comicbooks.com