Judge, 1908-11-21 · page 7 of 16
Judge — November 21, 1908 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a comic strip following a character named "Nervy Nat" through Thanksgiving Day mishaps. The humor centers on Nat's attempts to steal or borrow a turkey while observing a football game between Pennsylvania and Cornell universities. The strip satirizes holiday chaos: Nat sneaks a turkey from a dinner table, watches the brutal college football match (which he compares to his own rougher college days), and the game devolves into pure violence with players literally fighting over what they believe is the ball—but is actually Nat's stolen turkey. The joke culminates in physical comedy: the "football" gets destroyed in the scrimmage, and Nat survives with only a drumstick and a flipper, leading to the final pun that it's "better to have loved and lost than to have no turkey at all." The comic reflects early 1900s American culture: holiday traditions, college football's brutal reputation, and slapstick humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1. Nervy Nat—"* Now, just pipe that turkey! Isn't ita work of art? Browned finish and stuffed with marrons and chestnuts! All it needs to be a veri d’ceuvre is some salad, cranberry sauce, a frigid bot, et cetera. My borrowing the platter and all, I hope, will allay suspicion.”” vania fracturing each other's skulls? 2. Nervy Nat—"* Ho, ho! the great national rough-house! Pennyel and Cor- "Tis a bonny sight! Reminds me of my college days, when I was the crack half-back—or, | mean, had my back half cracked. I'il watch yon contest a spell." Jobling turkeys! but “that’s going some! Down him, Pennsy! What are you murderers equipped with, anyway—turbines?” 4. Nervy Nat—'* Hey, you leather-nosed idiot! that’s not the ball—that’s my turkey! “Make a touchdown soon, or I'll hand you one in the nose-guard !”” A Ae HY Hy) Nervy Nat (feebly)—" And out!” NO, 68—NERVY NAT GIV COMPANY, PunLisit NOTE.-The First Series of Nervy Nat's Adventures is now ready, ely bound 11 E i JUDGE COMPANY, lor postage when ordered by mail. Address 6. Nervy Nat 25 WIFTIE AVENUE, NEW YORK. in book form. Price, 75 cents; 10 cents additional 225 Filth Avenue. New York. “Only a drumstick and a flipper saved ! loved and lost than h ’Tis better to have comicbooks.com