Judge, 1907-07-13 · page 6 of 16
Judge — July 13, 1907 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip satirizes a con artist posing as British nobility ("Lord Reginald Somerville") to seduce and swindle young women at the boardwalk. "Nervy Nat" adopts an exaggerated upper-class accent and fabricated claims of wealth—castles in England, a "honk-wagon" (early automobile)—to impress "Totties" (flirtatious young women, likely shop girls). The satire exposes his transparent scheme: he lacks money (leaving his checkbook at home, relying on his valet to carry his purse), resorts to petty theft (telling his companion to slip him chocolates), and attempts casual seduction through feigned indifference. The women ultimately profit by charging him a toll, reversing the expected con. The humor mocks both his obvious fraudulence and the transactional nature of early-20th-century romance at popular seaside resorts.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1, Nervy Nat—"' Well, well! By the displa; gan 2. Nervy Nat—"‘[ have always found that the most successful way to make offing, | can safely predict an adventure in six pictures. A fascinating mug a home-run with these Totties is to appear indifferent. As Caduc would say, like Lord Somerville can naturally be expected to furnish an adventure in ‘It ees zat you make hauteur—yes?’ And besides, | recognize one of this Adamless Eden. Whoa, Algernon! You're champing at the bit. I'll those sirens as a person who sold mea pair of suspenders in Macyaker's once. do all of that that’s necessary. Algernon, when any of those salesladies begin to feed you chocolates, just slip'one or two to me occasionally."” 3. Nervy Nat—“‘Ah! it is as I supposed. The fish are biting to-day—hov- . Why, of course I'll sign my name In your autograpn- ering over the register to learn my pedigree. Lord Reginald Somerville will album, Gertrude and Mirabelle. | have so many castles in England that par- just about size up to this captivating bunch of sweet grads. Now, | wonder lament is considering building another {sland to hold some of them. Of which one of the coterte of grafters saw me first?" course we will go riding in my honk-wagon.”” b about the vulgar pay-in- 6. Tottoare xezrer (seeing Nervy Nat ls minus the toll)—"* One dollar, and advance system so prevalent in America. ° It’s too deucedly mercenary for be quick!"” me, so Just for the present, old horse, you add together twenty-and three and Nervy-Nat (as the girls, rather reluctantly, make up the price)—'* I'll admit be gone to your gasoline studio. When we retui ith the accent on the It is not according to Hoyle, girls; but my beastly valet carries my purse, when—I'll audit your clilm. Step right In, Mirabelle. I am dispensing with and I stupidly left my check-book at home on the pianola. But I will reim- ladies, as I always drive my own car. burse you to-morrow—if there is a to-morrow.’ I was In just such a predica- 00k COMPANY PUBLMMERE B28 FOURTH AYE. RW YORK ment once in Lunnon, and Lady de Lemon paid the beastly toll. It's quite the fad, you know, in England.” NO. 6—NERVY NAT, AS LORD REGINALD SOMERVILLE, HAS A BOARDWALK ADVENTURE. comicbooks.com