Judge, 1906-10-27 · page 16 of 16
Judge — October 27, 1906 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This multi-panel comic celebrates Judge magazine's 25th anniversary through the character "Nervy Nat," a wealthy, irreverent American abroad in Paris. The satire mocks Prohibition-era excess: Nat receives 2,500 francs to celebrate lavishly with champagne and "giggle-water" (slang for alcohol), treating the magazine's anniversary as an excuse for debauchery. The humor targets several things: American wealth and entitlement abroad, the absurdity of Prohibition (which people circumvented by drinking overseas), and Judge's own editorial pretensions versus actual vulgar behavior. References to "the vineyard Lizzies" and the French setting emphasize how Americans escaped Prohibition's constraints. The comic self-mockingly acknowledges its vulgarity while presenting drunken excess as entertainment. The Parisian crowd's celebration ("Vive le Nervy Nat!") suggests Judge's confident, irreverent editorial voice resonated with readers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1. Nervy Nat—"'Sa-ay! listen to this: A cablegram—' Have cabled 2. Nervy Nat—""To the Place de la Concorde, varlet, and don’t jolt the 2.500 francs to your account (my account!). Please celebrate my silver giggle-water too hard! | hope you remembered to put the newspaper anniversary appropriately. Signed “ Juoce.”** Yes, Juoce; it shall be as Johnnies wise to the gorgeous and unparalleled doings booked for ‘leven- you wish. Of course they can't expect me to do very much with such a inirty sharp. | think—mind you, | say think—that the revolution in Rus- beggarly sum, but Ill accept it in the spirit it was sent. It probably sia and other local items will be in the want-columns to-morrow.” shrunk In transmission under so much water.” 4. Sercent Caouc—"' Stop! Zis not can go on "— Nervy Nat—"'l can't hear you, caddy! My ears are full of the + imprisoned snickers of the vineyard Lizzies,” as Dr. Parkhurst or some- body so poetically put it. ‘What is s> rare asa plunge in fizz-water ?” as my old classmate. Ollie Wendell Hoimes, once said to me. Caddy, dare me to open my mouth!” 3. Nervy Nat—' Hey, Gaston! when you've emptied the last bottle take the megaphone and tell the rabble that it s Cook's Imperial. And caution the cops to keep them back of the dead-line. I'll be ready in a minute.”* 6. Tue rasste—" Vive le Nalrvie Nat! Long live ze Hobeay. Brum- 5. Nervy Nat—Come on in: the champagne ‘s dry. And, my dear friend, If you are a temperance person, tread water; otherwise this is an mell!"” Mare-see meal fwa! You may Nervy Nar— Thanks, Paristans! ‘as well disperse, as this will be about all. Caduc Is in no condition to go home, and | have no inclination to; so we shall probably be here for days. So, ah tootalerr!™ opportunity of a lifetime. I'll bet there are a lot of strong swimmers out in that mob. I feel that this is a fearfully vulgar exhibition, but it's fun to be vulgar sometimes—after months of solitary refinement orymenT 08 BY J00E COMPARY PUBLONERS, B88 FOURTH AE, REW YORE, NERVY NAT CELEBRATES JUDGE’S SILVER ANNIVERSARY. comicbooks.com