Judge, 1913-03-22 · page 7 of 26
Judge — March 22, 1913 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page from *Judge* magazine presents a serialized satirical story set in a fictionalized Baghdad, using Oriental fantasy as a vehicle for American social commentary. The narrative satirizes **political corruption and graft**. The Caliph rewards his Wazir (minister) with worthless mining stock while dispatching him to a remote location—a humorous exaggeration of how corrupt officials receive "golden parachutes" or exile. The Caliph then appoints Karaja as the new Wazir, explicitly acknowledging that he expects the official to steal one million annually while returning only 30% in bribes—transparent satire of endemic government corruption. The unnamed American character "Bingo" serves as the outsider whose naiveté contrasts with this cynical system. His fate—being murdered for his clothing—mocks both the Caliph's vanity and the casual brutality of absolute rule. The bottom panel, "Was He 'Gulling' Her?", offers unrelated satirical commentary on cleanliness, mocking romantic courtship pretense. The dual illustrations titled "The old way, and the new" reinforce the contrast between traditional and modern approaches to fortune-seeking.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘The old way, and the new. SEEKING HIS FORTUNE “Make this as thy dwelling for a moment while I dispatch other affairs in hand,"’ said the Caliph graciously to Bingo, motioning him to a seat near the center table, where he found a back number of the Wideopen Magazine, in which he hoped to see news from home. Haroun el Reschid then turned to Kara Kahn, the Wazir, while Karaja, the Captain of the Watch, stood by, and said, with a winning smile: ‘‘I know of thy attempted service to me in respect of the Albanian maiden, and would reward thee.’’ The Wazir in imagination felt the bowstring about his neck. Then, handing him the stock in the Mulekick Mine, the Caliph continued, **This I give thee freely. Take the first Drom- edary Limited to the north, and cease not from travel- ing until thou comest to Ah- rahzonah. Take up thy resi- dence there and let thy bones there remain.”” And the Wazir made the fastest get- away ever recorded of a fat man. Bingo, seeing him thus hastily depart, thought he had gone to the bank for the cash and was content. The Caliph called Karaja, to whom he spoke: ‘Thou hast been a faithful servant, and I would replace thee in the Watch and make thee my Wazir. I know that thy graft is a million a year, of which thou payest me three-tenths. Find me a candidate for thy you'd look clean, too. WAS HE ‘“'GULLING" HER? Lady (admiring gulls) How nice and clean they look. Old Salt—An’ ma'am, if you spent as much time in the water as they do, place who will take the billet and give bond that he shall re- turn to me nine-tenths and be satisfied with the tithe. I am thinking of a new sewer system in Baghdad and an increased income tax, and I need thee in this business.’’ Karaja wept for joy and turned to go, but saw Bingo and asked, ‘‘What wouldst thou with this stranger?”’ Take him hence and bring me his garments, which I may desire for nocturnal disguise. Give him a well-fitting sack suit, tied at the top, and brodie him from the bridge into the Tigris. The land from which he cometh is great, and hath so many that resemble him that he will not be missed.’’ Bingo went out with Ka- as he thought to meet Kara Kahn coming from the bank and get the coin, while Haroun el Reschid, after looking at himself in a ror, went into the seraglio. He was minded to discover whether the maid Zora was the real goods or whether she was habituated to those toil- et practices which enable some women to discount time and make up for the absence of mind of Nature when passing out womanly charms, of which the Caliph was Some Judge. Frequently Man wants but little here below, but he frequently wants a fresh supply of it. comicbooks.com