Judge, 1910-12-03 · page 19 of 52
Judge — December 3, 1910 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains several satirical pieces about Christmas commercialism and gift-giving anxieties. **"Not Much More Than Gas"** mocks early electric lighting—Uncle Eben tries to trim a gas lamp wick on an electric bulb, destroying it. The joke: rural people confusing new technology with familiar old methods. **"Christmas Beatitudes"** offers ironic observations: Mrs. Knicker notes it's "more blessed to give than receive" yet "more blessed to exchange" gifts—satirizing the hypocrisy of Christmas generosity masking consumer culture. **"The Christmas Tragedy"** (by Harvey Peake) presents a giver's lament: financial strain from gift-buying, pressure to purchase lavish items, and the loss of sincere gift-giving to commercial excess. The repeated "Alack-a-day!" emphasizes mounting frustration as Christmas's "spirit" becomes corrupted by "trade, cold, insincere" materialism. **The illustration** shows a silhouetted figure contemplating flowers on a table—likely representing the bachelor's dilemma of selecting appropriate gifts. The page collectively satirizes 1910s-era anxieties about Christmas becoming commercialized rather than spiritual.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Not Much More Than Gas Aunt Mandy—" What's the matter, Eben?" Tnele I'm through with this stuil that we've bee - h Peet fot liiat ured w9adinetl . - fe When they bring their bills, they’ find usin’ stid of i jist tried to trim the wick on one of em, and ag cath things ee, Gee Wheel the consamed thing busted into a thousind little white pic Christmas Beatitudes In the Woods Mrs. Knicker—" It is more blessed to give thd soon Kim? Dida't ten you Mrs. Bocker And more blessed to exchange t to use a different gun for different kinds of game? a : it he wasn’t within ten yearscol x6. AT Christinas we laugh at the vege . but his tum to chuckle simtate ¢ ‘ yeare/o8 30: comes the day er his ay The Christmas Tragedy By HARVEY PEAKE The Giver ACK-A-DAY Tis Christmas time again, and I must go ) buy such gifts « I've much less cash and more to buy this year, The family port r. nd friends T know skimped for gifts bestow. : alth, why do they always fear To send the simple things that Seem sincere? Mlack-a-day! The Spirit of Christmas la Christmas time again, and T forcknow twe ere long it’s spirit will outgrow twhich v y of peace and cheer . cold, insincere! -a-dayl A BACHELOR'S CHRISTMAS comicbooks.com