Judge, 1909-07-10 · page 16 of 16
Judge — July 10, 1909 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a whimsical adventure comic strip, not political satire. The narrative follows a boy named Johnny and a band who are shipwrecked and rescued by an improvised method: they use a possum (a marsupial animal) as bait dangled from their boat's bow to lure a shark to shore, then ride the shark to safety like a makeshift steed. The comic plays on early 20th-century American humor featuring clever resourcefulness and absurdist scenarios. The "taffy 'possums" in the title refers to the possums used in this scheme. This appears to be a standalone children's adventure story with no deeper political meaning—simply entertainment from *Judge* magazine's lighter content, typical of the publication's mix of satire and general humor pieces.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Suage- LITTLE JOHNNY AND THE TAFFY ’POSSUMS. JOHN AND THE BAND IN DIREST NEED ARE RESCUED BY A NOVEL STEED. 2. Once more they wish they weren't afloat In such a sea and such a boat. John, bunting ‘round, discovers soon, Beneath the thwarts, a light harpoon, 4. ‘The shark was safely “hitched,” and now John ties a stick fast to the bow, From which a "possum hangs in glee Before the shark’s nose, temptingly. 5. ‘The shark, in haste that food to reach, 6. Hurrah! they reach the shore at last, Pulls forward hard, straight the beach. And up the beach they hurry fast, John and the band, no more hted, And seek a place with Aying feet, J. Sit back at ease, and just delig Where they can eat and eat and eat. COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY JONN A. BLEICHER, PRESIDENT, 225 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK,