Judge, 1911-01-14 · page 11 of 24
Judge — January 14, 1911 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a workplace prank story, not political satire. A good-looking office manager, annoyed that his elderly senior partner has hired a stenographer without consulting him, retaliates by disguising the office boy in women's clothing and coaching him to impersonate the applicant. The boy, dressed as "de lady champeen" stenographer, speaks in exaggerated Bowery slang and Brooklyn dialect, threatening the old man with jealous-boyfriend violence, demanding high wages ("de rhino—de coin"), and boasting about his typing speed. The humor derives from the absurdity of the deception and the crude impersonation breaking the boss's composure. The top cartoon references the 1893 Oklahoma Land Rush, comparing the crowded subway station to that chaotic historical event. The satire targets urban congestion and the spectacle of mass transit rather than any specific political figure.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WEST FARMS -| BROWx BKoaDway Le oe IN THE WILD EAST. Colonel Snort—" Gosh! this beats the Oklahoma land rush of '93, only this costs five cents, and it's worth it."’ The Manager's Little Scheme To Get Even with the Boss. HE GOOD-LOOK- ING manager was quite put out when the venerable old senior partner in- sisted on engaging the stenographer the firm had adver- tised for, and, being something of a prac- tical joker, he dressed the tall, lanky, freckled-face office-boy in an old gown and hat, gave him half an hour's coach- ing and two dollars, swore him to secrecy, and then sent him into the old gentle- man's private office to apply for the * position. This is what took place there: “Hello, old sport! I see by de papes dat youse wants a foist-class key puncher.”” “‘A—a what, miss?"’ “A key puncher—a machine buster— a stenog. wid de speed in both mitts! Can't you understand United States?’’ By A.B. LEWIS. -I_ think I know what you Yes, miss, we did advertise “Oh, 1 mean now. for a stenographer; but—but’’—— “Well, I’m de champeen key t’umper of de Bowery. See? I make de machine git a ragtime move on itself when I tickle its ribs.”’ “I—I— You see, quire’ —— “But I wanter give youse a word of advice, old sport. No goo-goo eyes at Liz McGann, or me steady will be t'umpin’ youse on de jaw. Did’jer git dat?” iss, I—I'’"—— “An’ anudder t’ing, old sport. No chewin’ de rag if I gits down late in de mornin’. Me steady won't stand fora timid young t’ing like me gittin’ a roast. See? Got a cigaroot about youse?"’ “Miss, I'll—I'll have to wish you good-morning, for’?—— miss, we re- ‘An’ how about de rocks?’” “*The—the rocks?” “*De rhino—de coin—de long green— de dough on Saturday night! Say, where wuz youse brung up, hay?’’ “M-Miss, this is my busy day, and’? — ‘What's dat? Is youse trunning me down? Kin youse sit there an’ pass up a champeen lady stenog. dat’s got ’em all on de blink wid her speed? Say, go easy wid Liz or dere’ll be some roughhouse soon! Go on wid de speel an’ I'll give yer a sample of me short- hand.’” As ‘‘de lady champeen"’ strutted over to study a picture on the wall, however, the venerable old senior part- ner made his escape, and he took a couple of days off to recuperate, most cheerfully and willingly leaving the task of engaging a stenographer to the manager. comicbooks.com