Judge, 1907-05-04 · page 7 of 16
Judge — May 4, 1907 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip satirizes the "Teddy Bear" craze—stuffed toys named after President Theodore Roosevelt—by personifying them as mischievous characters. The joke centers on their reckless joyride in a borrowed automobile (which "don't belong to John"), causing rural chaos: spooked livestock, dust clouds, and ultimately a collision with "Sir Billy Goat." The humor reflects early-1900s anxieties about automobiles as dangerous, reckless novelties driven by foolish young people. The goat's revenge—throwing the bears and John into the mud—provides comeuppance. The final panel shows animals "laughing" at human humiliation, reversing the typical power dynamic. The satire targets both the Teddy Bear fad itself and the irresponsibility of early motorists, mocking contemporary car culture as chaotic and destructive to rural life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE TEDDY BEARS. THEY TAKE A SPIN IN AN AUTOMOBILE AND MAVE PUN WITH A GOAT—AND THE GOAT HAS SOME FUN, TOO. 1. See how the mischief-makers grin! 2. We'll mention just one small fact more— They're off with Johnny for a spin. John never chuffed a ‘bile before. (One fact should be commented on— He acts the chauffeur every bit— This auto don’t belong to John.) Tears through the country lickaty-split. I, be = Ye SS AT el 3. Cows leap the fence and bawl in fright: 4. Then in the distance, calm and still, Pigs squeal and run with all their might. They see a big goat on a hill, The country ’s full of dust and din— Up goes a shout from every throat. ‘The Teds can’t hold their laughter in. Now, watch them scare Sir Billy Goat. 5. Kersmash! and also slap! kerslump! 6. And here you see John and the Teds Oh, my! but wasn’t that a thump! All feeling of their aching heads. You see, Sir Billy, in a huff, While cow, cat, pig, dog. hen, and goat Thought Teddies had had fun enough. Stand round and look and laugh and gloat. COPYRIGHT 1907 BY JUDGR COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, 225 FOURTH AVE, NEW YORK. comicbooks.com