Judge, 1907-01-26 · page 5 of 16
Judge — January 26, 1907 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page features an illustration by James Montgomery Flagg titled "Yours Truly" accompanying a poem called "When the Preacher Happens In." The verse humorously describes a family's chaotic reaction to an unexpected pastoral visit—they hastily conceal evidence of secular activities (card games, swearing, casual behavior) to present a pious facade to their clergyman visitor. The satire targets Victorian-era hypocrisy: the gap between public religious propriety and private domestic conduct. The illustration's theatrical pose with outstretched arms suggests performative respectability. The joke relies on the era's expectations that families maintain strict moral appearances before clergy, exposing how artificial such presentations could be.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
James MowTomeny FLAC “YOURS TRULY.” WHEN THE PREACHER HAPPENS IN. HE preacher come to our house to visit t'other day— Jes’ happened to be passin’ by, he said in smilin’ way. ‘An’ pa an’ ma ‘d bin scrappin’ all the mornin’, havin’ spats In reggelar succession, like them ol’ Kilkenny cats. He shuck their hands in friendly way, an’ said it was so grand o note the sweet domestic peace he saw on ev'ry hand. The airo’ love that’s in a home was born o' heaven, he thought— An’ pa an’ ma a-blushin’ like their blood was biilin’ hot! He asked "em jes’ how long since they exchanged the nupchul kiss An’ started on the rosy path o' sweet domestic bliss, An’ if the fire o° youthful love wa'n't growin’ warmer yet, An’ pa an’ ma both smiled an’ said they hadn't no regret. He said he'd seen some cases where ‘twas quarrel all the time, An’ sich bad marriages, he thought, was little short 0° crime ; But where the love o' God prevailed discord could never come, An’ pa remarked ‘twas jes’ the thing to have in any home. He read a chapter from the Book, then prayed the Lord to bring Yet more o' heaven's peace into that home where love was king— To bless that happy man, an’ doubly bless the gentle dove Who armed him fer the fight o' life with precious wifely love. When we ariz from off our knees ma seemed inclined to weep, An’ pa looked like a sneakin’ dog t'd bin a-killin’ sheep ; An’ when they ketched each other's eyes both of em looked as mean As any pair o' criminals a body ever seen. When he had left pa turned to me an’ said in gentle wa: + My son, you'd better hustle out o' doors an’ have a play An’ when I ventured back ag'in you can't guess what I heard— at her work as happy as a bird! An’ pa was whis'lin’ “Home, Sweet Home" in happy sort o' way, An’ Carlo barkin’ round his legs an’ wantin’ him to play ; An’, thinkin’ o' the scraps they'd had, I couldn't help but grin To sce how things git straightened out when the preacher happens int TAMES BARTON ADAMS. comicbooks.com