Judge, 1914-02-14 · page 13 of 24
Judge — February 14, 1914 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the opera world and wealthy society's hypocrisy regarding egalitarianism. The illustration shows well-dressed men in top hats and a woman arriving at what appears to be the opera house in an automobile. The text describes a newly premiered opera titled "A Primitive Romance," which ironically emphasizes that "all men came from common stock" while being performed by scantily-clad female dancers and featuring "Cave Period" costumes. The opera's plot—featuring cave men characters fighting over a woman—deliberately contrasts primitive themes with the refined, wealthy audience attending it. The satire targets how the upper classes (the "Four Hundred," referencing New York's social elite) attend productions preaching equality and common humanity, while living in a world of extreme wealth disparity marked by stolen jewels, detectives, and vacuum cleaners recovering lost diamonds from opera floors. The apparent protagonist, Aynsley, departs with "Mademoiselle Robi," the actress playing the lead role—suggesting romantic entanglement beneath society's civilized veneer.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
egesaSeSe5e5! My and the Civilized . 4 FALDRON seseeseSeSes ' d wfour Hundred, multiplied, isemed, to the discomfort of , Tie were factions in which z maitples of wealth were potent wy, t¢ this was not all. rset became so crowded that weitirred to enthusiasm—or ocisly—jewels were spilled over ssetinuous sprinkling of dia- settakets of value, while now and then a tiara or a necklace fell upon the just or the unjust below. The un- just frequented the lower floor as a speculation in precious stones, though many detectives were on duty, and all hirelings under heavy bonds incessantly “1 operated vacuum cleaners, taking their clean-ups to a common repository for identification. Much, however, was missing in the final analysis, and honest persons who might find a dia- mond or two while undressing after a night at the opera could not be blamed for blankly wondering where they came from. This night when Mrs. Aynsley and Allard rode away and Aynsley drove to the stage door was the night of the opening of the Regal and the premiere of an opera written for the occasion, entitled ‘‘A Primi- tive Romance.’ The event was successful beyond all It had surpassed the most sanguine hope and the most extravagant prophecy. The opera had been written to emphasize the fact that one man is as good as another, and that all men expectation. came from common stock. It had for dominant char- acters Ag and Ug, Cave Men, and El, a beautiful Cave Woman, the wife of Ag. These characters sang their passions in French and were scantily clothed in fine fur and silk of Cave Period cut, while verisimilitude was furnished by young women of great beauty and few but characteristic garments, and Cave bears and other animals of the period made merry with them. Ug fell in love with El, who reciprocated; Ug killed Ag with a club, and all ended happily. Half an hour after Aynsley drove to the stage door he reappeared with Mademoiselle Robi, a gloriously handsome woman, whose fine points were accented by her rich attire. She was the beauteous El of the comicbooks.com