Judge, 1914-07-25 · page 11 of 24
Judge — July 25, 1914 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a domestic comedy story, not a political cartoon. It depicts a marital disagreement: Mrs. Trueboy demands her husband shave his beard before she'll kiss him again. He refuses, claiming it's a "badge of distinction," and announces a fishing trip to Canada. She threatens to go to the seashore for weeks instead. The satirical point targets early 20th-century gender dynamics and hypocrisy. Mr. Trueboy warns his wife not to "flirt too much" while he claims there are "no pretty girls" where he's fishing—an obvious lie she doesn't believe. The story then shows Mrs. Trueboy immediately flirts with a young man at the beach, validating her skepticism about his fishing trip. The humor lies in how both spouses make excuses to pursue independent leisure while condemning the other's potential dalliances—typical marital double standards of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
i's ill th ¢YOU NEVER—never—do the one thing I have asked you to do until I'm tired of asking!’’ said pretty Mrs. Trueboy to her husband. * “Oh, you mean’’—and he flourished one hand about his face, with a grin. “Yes. Justthat. I want you toshave. You're the only man in the neighborhood with a beard.’’ “Well, my dear, I want some badge of distinction."’ “I don’t care! I'm getting to hate your beard! Just think of it! Inever saw you with a smooth face.”” “But when we were sparking, dear, you thought my beard so nice—so silky, you said, and so becoming.”” “But I've changed my mind. Other men of your age don’t wear a beard. Nobody but old codgers, Besides, the other women talk about it. ‘He must have a weak face,’ I heard one of the neigbhors say. She didn’t think I was listening, the cat!"’ “Well, dear, if you insist upon it, I'll shave the moment I get back from this fishing trip.”” “What! Are you going fishing again?” “Yes. Upin Canada. Want to come along?” “T should think not! And if you go fishing again, I shall go down to the shore for a couple of weeks. I suppose you'll be gone that long.”” “‘All right, my dear. Go and enjoy yourself. But don’t flirt too much.’" “Flirt! The idea! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, John Trueboy? But I suppose you flirt when you're fishing.’’ A Swimming Lesson By J. A, WALDRON “*A little with the fish, yes. But there are no pretty girls where I’m going. We have to rough it up there.’’ “I don’t believe you. Besides, you see plenty of pretty girls on the way there and back."” “‘Ido,eh?’? And John Trueboy caught her in his arms and tried to kiss her. “T'll never kiss you again, John, until you get rid of your beard. And I'll have a good look at you when you are shaved before I kiss you then."? And she seemed to mean it. John Trueboy started on his fishing trip, and Mrs, Trueboy lost no time in making for the seashore. Before Mrs. Trueboy started, however, she attended two bargain sales and outfitted herself elaborately. The season was a bit late, and she made bargains. She got a fetching bathing suit that displayed her sightly figure to the best advantage, and when she first made her appearance on the shore she was very good to look at, with a polka-dotted red bathing cap that gave the final touch of charm. She was a fine swimmer and looked far more alluring in the water than some women do on shore. Mrs. Trueboy had no notion of flirting when she went to the shore, although she felt a little resentment at Trueboy for selfishly going fishing and leaving her to her own devices, But the first day she did flirt with a young man—one of the very few in the water—to the anger of every other woman on the beach. She sat with him and swam with him, and in the evening she danced with him. And he appreciated her kindness, comicbooks.com