Judge, 1907-12-07 · page 40 of 48
Judge — December 7, 1907 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a lighthearted children's comic strip, not political satire. "Little Johnny" plays Santa Claus with toy bears (called "Teddies"—likely referencing the popular teddy bear toy craze of the early 1900s) harnessed as reindeer to pull a sleigh. The plot: Johnny opens his gift pack, the greedy bears smell candy and dive in. A hungry tramp steals the pack and runs away with it—and the bears inside. When a policeman catches the tramp, the bears emerge and frighten both him and the criminal, creating comic chaos. Johnny recovers his toys and has a happy Christmas. The humor relies on slapstick: greedy bears, a bungling tramp, a confused cop, and the surprise of toy bears attacking. It's wholesome holiday entertainment for Judge magazine's readers, promoting the teddy bear toy and depicting an idealized Christmas resolution.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LITTLE JOHNNY AND THE TEDDY BEARS. THE TEDS ARE REINDEERS AND JOHN 15 SANTA CLAUS! BUT THE TEDS ARE GREEDY, AND A TRAMP COMES ALONG AND AN ACCIDENT MAPPENS. 1. How happy Teddies are because 2. The silver moon shines on the snow, John's going to be a Santa Claus, John cracks his whip and off they go. While they are hitched up to the sleigh ‘Teds know they make a stunning sight. To be his reindeers on the way. No happier Santa rides to night. 4, Just then a hungry tramp comes by And Santa's big pack takes his eye. He grabs it and starts on a run, The Teddies inside. every one. 3. Now Santa opens up his pack And tells the Teds he'll soon be back. They trace some candy by the smell, And dive into the pack, pell-mell. 6. John loads tne Tedales in the sleigh While cop walks Mr. Tramp away, Then starts for home, and you can bet They'll have a happy Christmas yet. . The Teddies growl and scare the tramp Just as the big cop nabs the scamp. ‘The cop sees bears fly left and right And thinks he's lost his senses quite. CCOrYRIGIT, 1907, BY JUDGE COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, #35 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. ow ready tm handsome book-form. Price, 60 cents. For Judge Company, 225 Fourth Avenue, New York. comicbooks.com