Judge, 1907-07-20 · page 16 of 16
Judge — July 20, 1907 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This six-panel comic strip depicts children ("Teddies," likely named after President Theodore Roosevelt's popular "Teddy Bear" toys) enjoying a day at Coney Island amusement park in New York. They ride attractions like the "Bump-the-Bumps" and "Helter-Skelter" slide, then eat carnival food until broke. The satire appears in the final panel: having spent all their money at Coney Island, the children must steal an automobile to return home—presented as a humorous but caustic commentary on the consequences of frivolous spending and the casual criminality that might result. The joke plays on the contrast between wholesome family fun and the darker reality of financial desperation, suggesting that even innocent pleasures at this popular amusement destination lead to moral compromise.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
uae LITTLE JOHNNY AND THE TEDDY BEARS. THEY "DO" CONEY ISLAND, SLIDE THE ** BUMP-THE-BUMPS,"’ EAT CORN AND CANDY, AND THEN ‘GO BROKE ''—WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL AT CONEY. 1. How happy now the Teddies are 2. And first they try the ** Bump-the-Bumps,”* Aboard a Coney Island car, A smooth hill full of funny humps. And speeding to the place renowned O’er the lumps they slide with shrieks, Where gayety and noise abound! And laughingly land below in heaps. 3. Then down the “ Helter-Skelter” slide 4. And next they eat—such hungry imps!— john and the Teddies swiftly glide. Cakes, candy, peanuts, whole fried shrimps. john turns a flip-flop, and the Teds And last upon sweet corn they fall, half the steep course on their heads. And bolt it down, corn, cob and all. 5, And now the glorious day 1s done. eg — and heaps and Gocwred Gl fun! jut why these looks disconsolate In this sad state have to steal In the next verse we'll plainly state. Their way Rene eetae automobile. COPYRIGHT 1907 BY JUDGE COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, 225 FOURTH AVE, NEW YORK. comicbooks.com