Judge, 1912-06-29 · page 13 of 25
Judge — June 29, 1912 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This comic strip satirizes the predictable arc of workplace romance. A stenographer asks her male coworker (Mr. Willing) to help find a vacation substitute, but he uses this as an excuse to pursue her romantically. Over the week, the woman's resistance crumbles: Monday she's coldly dismissive; by Thursday she's complimenting his dancing; by Sunday she's professing love and claiming she liked him "from the very first." The calendar showing ice cream days (permissible indulgences for July) illustrates their growing intimacy. The satire targets women's inconsistency and transparent romantic game-playing—her claims of "frankness" mask obvious manipulation. The title "Holding Down Her Job" ironically suggests she's actually focused on maintaining her employment position, when the narrative proves the opposite: she quickly abandons her professional boundaries for romance. The humor relies on period attitudes viewing women as emotionally unpredictable and inherently duplicitous in romantic matters.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘The fair stenographer about to leave on her vacation is asked by her employer to find a substitute. MONDAY. She—‘‘I think you very presuming upon so short an acquaintance, Mr. Will- We have nothing in common and I don’t care to This is final. ing. . Yes, a week is short! be in your presence again. Good-day, sir!"” He— TUESDAY. She—Why do you thrust yourself upon me? I thought I made myself clear yester- day. Even if you do talk, I sha'n't listen.’” He— —— WEDNESDAY. She—‘‘Can't I go anywhere without your following me? I think I'll take a stroll down the beach. I sha’n’t tell you not to come, but most men would take the hint.’* He— —_- THURSDAY. She—“You danced much better last night than I thought you could, Mr. Will- ing. You see, I am very frank.’” HOLDING DOWN HER JOB. At the ee FRIDAY. She—‘‘Let me steer her a while. I love to sail! How did you know Amer- ican Beauties were my favorite? You made a much better selection than I of it? 1912—JULY—1912 She complies, Seashore. By HOMER CROY. thought you could. You see, I believe in frankness."’ He— SATURDAY. She—‘Do you mean it—every word Is it really true He— SUNDAY. She—‘‘Isn’t it wonderful, Harold? I’m so inexpressibly SUN. | MON.|TUES.| WED. |THURS! FRI. | SAT. ed bad 6 +d ¢ ¢ r mye TO HER YOUNG MAN: July days on which it is permissible to eat ice cream. happy! Do you know, Har- old, that I liked you from the very first? I tell you this be- cause I believe in being per- fectly frank. Don’t you think frankness saves lots of mis- understandings?”” He—Yes, dear. « moon wonderful?’ Well Named. “*Why do you call this new tire of yours the Mexican?’’ asked Slathers. ‘‘Is it made of Mexican rubber?”’ “Oh, no!’’ said the inventor. “TI call it that because it is capable of innumerable revolu- tions without wearing out.’’ Isn’t the comicbooks.com