Judge, 1907-07-06 · page 3 of 16
Judge — July 6, 1907 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The page contains three distinct sections: **"The Terrorist"** (top cartoon): A man in military uniform sits relaxed while a small child plays nearby. The caption references Russian anarchist violence ("De Russian Dooma's blowin' up de blood'rusty czar"), satirizing American anxiety about foreign radicals and terrorism—a contemporary concern during the early 1900s. **"The Progress of a Mollycoddle"** (main story): A humorous narrative about young Smithby, who swallows a lump and claims it's a "mollycoddle"—slang for an effeminate or cowardly person. His father dismisses his concerns, ultimately allowing him to fire a shotgun, illustrating period anxieties about masculine weakness and parental permissiveness. **"The Glorious Fourth"** (bottom photo): Appears to reference Independence Day incidents, likely showing consequences of Fourth of July firearm accidents. The overall theme critiques American attitudes toward danger, masculinity, and proper child-rearing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
d+ Comm ena _ [FT 3 THE TERRORIST. “Gee! what's de game?” “**S-sh! De Russian Dooma ‘s blowin’ up de bloodt'irsty czar.” THE PROGRESS OF A MOLLYCODDLE, 'OUNG Smithly entered his father’s library on the morning of the Fourth of July and swallowed at a lump in his throat, and finally said, . “Say, pa, the boys call me a molly- coddle.” “Yes; I believe they do,” dryly replied his father as he looked up from the paper he was reading. “In fact, I heard that lit- tle Jones boy call you one last night, and I expected to see you thrash him wit an inch of his life; but you never made a move for him.” “But he might have thrashed me." IN READINESS FOR THE DAY. “That's just F, Craccer—"' Let's go off on a regular bust this where the mollycod- 5s dle comes in, son. I f Pin aretin All right. I'm always game for pour grandiieth: er and your grandfa- ther just what they’d make of you if they kept on, but they would coddle you.” “Well, I'm going to show ‘em that I'm no mollycoddle,” said young Smithly. + They think they're big because they've got blank-cartridge pis- tols, but I'll surprise them.” «« What do you propose doing ?” asked his father. «« Why, pa, I want to take that old shot-gun of yours out in the street and fire it off just once. That'll make ‘em sick.”” «Well, I don't know about that. That old gun is a good deal like our cook—we're afraid to fire her on account of what might happen.” The boy pleaded and begged in vain; but after his father had gone he emerged from the house with the shot-gun over his shoulder and a look of determination on his face. When he reached the gate he could wait no longer, and, closing both eyes and holding to the gun for dear life, he pulled the trigger. It was a double-barreled affair and loaded for bear, and it was fully fifteen minutes later when young Smithly came to. He was simply stunned, however, and as he opened his eyes he smiled and asked, “Pa, am I still a mollycoddle ?” ‘Not much, my boy,” replied the old man with a sigh of relief, He paused. For a moment he thought of the folly of keeping these rusting firearms round with their ancient loads, Then he resumed. + You're no mollycoddle, my boy, but you're the son of an idiot.” ews, THE GLORIOUS FOURTH. ‘Suave or Georce Wasnincron—‘ Gadzooks! did I start this?” comicbooks.com